Bauchi advocates establishment of public health lab for Northeast to combat outbreaks of epidemics

Bauchi State Primary Health Care Development Agency (BASPHCDA) is set to establish a public health laboratory that will serve as a reference centre for the North-East subregion in order to combat the outbreak of epidemics.

This was disclosed by the Executive Chairman of the Agency, Dr Rilwanu Mohammed at a meeting held to mark 2019 recognition and award ceremony for primary health care delivery in the state on Friday.

Rilwanu Mohammed also said that the laboratory when established will be responsible for the diagnosis of diseases such as Lassa and Yellow fever, measles as well as other hemorrhagic fevers.

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He said that “we want to inform his Excellency, the Executive Governor of Bauchi State, Senator Bala Mohammed that a lot of disease outbreaks occur in Bauchi State, therefore we need a medical laboratory that will serve as a reference point for the Northeast. We are currently planning and discussing with the teaching hospital in the state in that regard”

Rilwanu Mohammed added that “We want to start with a small one first before we can build the big one for the Northeast. This will enable us to carry out our test here rather than taking it to Abuja or other axis. It will also serve as a reference point for the Northeast region”

“The Laboratory will generate between N150 to N200 million annually to the state government coffers. The Primary Health Care Development Agency wants to start doing something that will support the government of Bauchi State” he said.

In his address at the occasion, the State Deputy Governor who also doubles as State Chairman Taskforce Committee on Primary Health Care, Sen Baba Tela called on stakeholders in the health sector to put more effort in implementing various programmes for improved health care delivery in the state.

“We have to recognise the efforts of our development partners such as the money they put in there, the expertise they are bringing to health and time. So we need to respond positively by contributing our quota so that the end of the programme, we will have a robust health sector” he said.