The Director-General, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control NCDC, Chikwe Ihekweazu, says the centre is reviewing the technical guidelines for Nigeria’s Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response strategy, alongside government and international partners.
Ihekweazu who said this in an interview in Abuja, explained that the goal was to develop a concise plan to ensure improved detection and response to infectious disease outbreaks.
Ihekweazu said the challenges of being an early starter was becoming very difficult to integrate with many other good systems because the centre have developed very well over the years in just one system.
He however, said that there was a level of commitment as a nation to combat infectious diseases, while noting that surveillance is a collaborative effort that requires the support of States and Tertiary Hospitals.
He said that Nigeria would be the first country to adapt the Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response, IDSR of the World Health Organisation WHO and Afro technical guidelines.
