What is the history of the virologist in Nigeria?
While fashionable virology began with the discovery between 1915 and 1917 of bacteriophages (i. e. , viruses that infect bacteria), virology only has one field in its own right in the last 50 years.
The field can be divided into virus biology (molecular biology and biochemistry) and viral diseases (physiology, epidemiology and clinical aspects of viral diseases). One branch deals with the nature and homes of the virus, while the moment focuses on diseases. caused by viruses and the interaction of points (humans, animals, viruses and environment) leading to the emergence and reemergence of viral diseases.
Today, an in-depth virology encompasses the One Health concept. This takes into account the interactions between humans and animals and the environment.
The first organization of Nigerian virologists trained outside the country. Local education for virologists began in the early 1970s at the University of Ibadan. It was the only educational center for virologists until the late 1990s.
Today, there are about two hundred virologists in Nigeria. Is this number enough?
Answering the query is not the same as measuring, for example, the ideal doctor-patient ratio. This is because virologists are researchers, so the number of titers is not the main problem. Rather, it is a query about whether other people were trained as virologists serve as well and to the fullest.
In other words, Nigeria wants more virologists given the length of the country and the number of endemic viral infections that triumph there. Every year, the country reports severe outbreaks of viral diseases, such as Lassa fever, yellow fever and measles.
He wants virologists to anticipate the emergence of viral disease outbreaks.
But the superior load of apparatus and reagents, as well as other conveniences for conducting virus studies, have limited the production of trained virologists through Nigeria’s university system.
Currently, the country has more virologists specializing in molecular virology than experts in the epidemiology and clinical facets of viral diseases. And poor collaboration between laboratory scientists, epidemiologists and doctors has discouraged Nigeria from the mandatory balance between molecular virologists and those examining viral diseases. There is a gap between studying viruses and the diseases they cause. We have experienced virologists with little wisdom on how to treat diseases caused by viruses.
Virologists who will be applicable and will give a contribution to improve the physical condition of society, will have to use their wisdom and experience to save you and control viral diseases, otherwise they become a valuable ornament of little use for a dying user. of a viral disease.
Nigeria, a society plagued by disease, has no position for virologists who notice a virus but figure out what it does. Or they can’t use their wisdom to mitigate the ravages of a viral disease outbreak.
What about another now in that of virologists?
When I trained as a virologist at the University of Ibadan in southwestern Nigeria, education was comprehensive. He was referring to both generalized fieldwork and laboratory research.
In the past, in addition to techniques (antigen-antibody studies and animal experimentation) to identify and classify viruses, a detailed epidemiological study of diseases caused by the virus was also carried out.
It was a One Health concept that thought like the pathogen, the person, the animal and the environment in the study of viruses and the diseases they cause. This provided the necessary data for the control and prevention of the disease.
Today, the main focus is on the study and dissection of the virus, more modern and highly complicated techniques, such as genomic sequencing.
There are many obstacles to building a larger cohort of virologists in Nigeria.
First, the lack of fashionable laboratory services and the poor state of critical infrastructure and other resources (such as electrical power and reagents) make it difficult to conduct studies. You can’t run genetic sequencing or even sterilize your device as a power source.
Secondly, the budgetary allocation for schooling is low at all levels, adding the secondary education system.
Third, and unfortunately, the Nigerian government has not committed to investment studies. Funding for science and studies remains pathetic. This has led to the deterioration of the quantity and quality of virologists trained in Nigerian universities. Nigeria’s desert oasis of excellence from the studio landscape are largely funded through grants from external agencies and agencies.
But how long will you have external grants to finance your studies and development?It is as if Africa is groaning and crying out for justice when, for example, COVID-19 vaccines are not available to our populations. You don’t beg for justice, you fight for it. You use your resources responsibly to make a contribution to equity, not just a customer of the crumbs of equity.
Most sensitively, we have corruption and poor review practices that undermine the very foundations of integrity and probity, pillars on which science and studies rest. Consequently, our university formula is not to retain guilty academics or attract the right kind of future academics imbued with responsibility.
Added to these setbacks is the lack of interest in science and generational schooling on the part of many students.
What’s missing?
Sustained funding, infrastructure, services (regular force supply) and national government and sustained commitment to research.
There is a general national contempt for science and generation. There is also a national failure to fully recognize that science and generation are for Nigeria’s socio-economic transformation.
The government invests in science, technology, studies and development.
How has this affected Nigeria’s ability to produce cutting-edge research?
Inversely.
We are a country that consumes the returns on investment of other countries in science, studies and technology. Instead of investing in studies and contributing to global progress through science and studies, we have resorted to begging for the crumbs of justice.
We are willing to consume the returns on investment of others in science and research.
What do you want to do?
Get to basics. Invest in research, science and technology.
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