By Ono Yima
Col. Eli Lozano, Commander of the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research in the U.S., inaugurated the new Defence Reference Laboratory in Mogadishu Cantonment, Abuja, on Tuesday. He highlighted that this state-of-the-art facility will significantly expand Nigeria’s capacity to diagnose Tuberculosis (TB), marking a crucial step forward in the fight against this debilitating disease.
He made the statement during the facility’s inauguration in Abuja on Tuesday, while highlighting the importance of the new Defence Reference Laboratory in Nigeria’s effort towards appropriate diagnosis of Tuberculosis.
”The TB modular lab that you see here today, will expands Nigeria’s capacity to diagnose TB, which will have a meaningful impact on case detection in your amazing country,” he said.
”I am especially honoured that we have such a diverse and robust group of military and civilian leaders here to commemorate this very special milestone.
“The U.S. military has a long standing history of international public health issues.
“This is informed largely by our responsibility to protect the health and wellness of our service members and military forces to ensure they are ready to deploy anytime, anywhere in the world in support of U.S Government interests.
“The Walter Reed Army Institute of Research has served as a global leader in efforts to study, control and cure some of the world’s most pervasive and endemic infectious diseases to include malaria, HIV, Ebola and tuberculosis.
“At the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, our dedicated scientists understand that defence health is global health.
“For 131 years, our Walter Reed soldiers and civilians have tirelessly worked to test and develop products that will reduce the impact of infectious diseases.
“Our Walter Reed family is excited to continue our awesome relationship with the people of Nigeria in this vitally important field of infectious disease research.
“And together, we will enable health and wellness for Nigeria, our respective military service members, and all of humanity.”
He said the laboratory’s inauguration culminates nearly a decade of collaborative efforts between the Nigeria Ministry of Defence Health Implementation Programme and the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research
Retired Brig.-Gen. Nathan Okeji, Director-General of MODHIP, in his opening remark, revealed that the laboratory was founded in 2012 through a partnership between MODHIP and WRAIR-A, which was established in 2005.