Dr. Tunji Alausa, the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, officially launched the Centre for Human Virology and Genomics at the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research.

In his address at the inauguration, he emphasized that this new center will pave the way for expanded research opportunities and enhance the quality of public healthcare in the country.

Dr. Alausa also introduced the Hepatitis B Viral (HBV) Kits developed by Dr. Joseph Shaibu, a Molecular Virologist at the institute.

He highlighted that Nigeria faces a significant challenge with a 13.2 percent prevalence rate of chronic hepatitis B, indicating a substantial number of carriers nationwide.

These kits, as mentioned by the Minister, will aid in monitoring patients’ response to treatment and assessing the viral load levels in their bodies.

He stated, “We are here today to commission this centre as a reflection of the environment the current administration has created to invest in research and development.

“The centre will create an enabling environment for more Genomics studies on HIV, hepatitis A and B, and other diseases peculiar to our country.

“The standard here can be compared with what is obtainable in the developed countries in terms of genomics and virology.

“The production of the NIMR HBV kits shows that our researchers can compete with other researchers across the globe.

“NIMR should commercialise these kits, which is effective and cheap.”

The minister applauded NIMR’s visionary approach to research, and Professor Babatunde Salako, NIMR’s Director-General, emphasized the institute’s trailblazing contributions to scientific advancement and national progress.

The newly launched center, a cutting-edge facility, will augment NIMR’s capabilities in viral research and genomics, enabling the institute to better comprehend and address diseases.

The HBV kits developed by NIMR will enhance hepatitis B detection and monitoring, a critical step in managing the disease, which affects a substantial 13.6% of the population, posing a significant public health concern.

“This growing human infrastructure capacity is poised to enable this centre to soon become a powerhouse for genomics and precision medicine in Nigeria.

“The facility will become a core research facility for Nigerians, given that viruses are leading contenders for the next world pandemic and the increasing recognition of human genomics role in determining disease outcomes.

“In Nigeria, the diagnosis of HBV has become expensive and far-fetched, majorly because of the cost of purchase and availability.

“The NIMR HBV PCR kit is developed to enable reliable detection and quantification of all hepatitis B genotypes,” Salako stated.