Chief medical director, Federal Medical Centre Makurdi (FMC) Dr Peteru Inunduh has lamented the migration of Nigerian doctors to the United States and United Kingdom in search of greener pastures even as he described the migration as a national emergency.
He also disclosed that the South African Accreditation System (SAAS) which is an international organization for standard has accredited one of its viral diagnosis laboratories to a global Standard.
The CMD who disclosed this during an interface with the media informed that once a laboratory achieves this, it simply means it has become a global laboratory, and it will be carrying out comprehensive investigations as regards to HIV/Aids among other diseases and the results of the diagnosis can be accepted and use globally.
While describing Benue as one of the endemic states for infectious diseases, Inunduh however said, the state has not reported any case of Monkeypox.
According to him, in the last few months 15 cases of Lassa Fever have been reported in the state, even as he advised residents to adhere to lay down procedures in order not to contract any viral disease especially Lassa Fever and COVID-19 hence the state is endemic to infectious diseases.
The CMD also disclosed that apart from the other laboratory, the state also has a research molecular laboratory, which is already carrying out comprehensive investigations on viral diseases like COVID-19 among others.
“We have already done with the training of the first set for Lassa Fever diagnosis and also over 500 staff across different departments in various fields have been trained for enhanced health care delivery,” he said.