By Aderogba George
The Nigerian Infectious Diseases Society (NIDS) has called for strengthened intersectoral collaboration to improve prevention, detection and control of infectious diseases following resolutions reached at its 16th Annual General Meeting and Conference.
The recommendation is contained in a communiqué issued at the end of the NIDS conference in Kaduna and made available to newsmen in Abuja on Friday by the society’s President, Dr Mahmood Dalhat.
The communiqué said the conference theme was “Resilient Health Systems in a Changing World,” focusing on confronting emerging and endemic infectious disease threats in Nigeria amid global, environmental and socioeconomic challenges.
It listed subthemes including reimagining infectious disease control, global health financing constraints, advancing HIV care with long-acting antiretrovirals, driving vaccine self-reliance through manufacturing, and examining climate change impacts on disease re-emergence.
The conference emphasised urgent intersectoral collaboration among NIDS, government agencies, development partners, academia and the private sector to better position Nigeria for effective prevention, detection and response to infectious disease threats.
It highlighted artificial intelligence as a critical tool for closing gaps in data science, research and development for vaccines and medicines, healthcare planning, surveillance, and evidence-based decision making nationwide systems capacity.
The communique recommended increased domestic funding for surveillance, laboratory strengthening, outbreak preparedness, workforce development, decentralised healthcare delivery, strategic purchasing, and improved governance and coordination at national and subnational levels across Nigeria.
It urged adoption of innovative financing, including public–private partnerships and health security trust funds, to expand local manufacturing of vaccines, diagnostics and therapeutics while reducing donor dependence through sustainable budgetary commitments.
The conference called for sustained investment in biotechnology, regulatory reforms, faster approvals, phased rollout of long-acting antiretroviral therapies, equitable access strategies, and strengthened One Health and antimicrobial resistance action plan implementation.
It also advocated climate-sensitive surveillance, stronger interministerial coordination, stakeholder engagement, and partnerships with donors and research institutions, appreciating Kaduna State’s support and reaffirming NIDS commitment to infectious prevention, diagnosis and treatment. (NAN)
