The Federal Government on Tuesday unveiled a National Biosecurity Policy and Action Plan, 2022 to 2026, to secure the health of Nigerians and their immediate environments from biological threats.
Minister of State for Environment, Sharon Ikeazor, who unveiled the policy in Abuja, said the policy would help to sustain socio-economic development across the country.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Unveiling and Public Presentation of the National Biosecurity Policy and Action Plan (NBP&AP) 2022-2026, was organised by the National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA).
Ikeazor described biosecurity as a strategic and integrated approach that encompasses the policy and regulatory frameworks. These include instruments and activities that analyse and manage risks in the sectors of food safety, animal life and health, plant life and health, which have associated environmental risks.
She said: “It (biosecurity) focuses on preventing the loss, theft, misuse, diversion or intentional release of pathogens, toxins, and other related assets against humans, animals, plants and the environment.
“It also focuses on putting measures in place to mitigate naturally occurring and emerging infectious diseases.
“Biosecurity is more important today than ever before due to the increasing threats of climate change which is altering the range, habitats and spreads of pests and diseases.
“It is estimated that zoonotic infections, transmitted from animal hosts to humans, account for approximately 60% of total infectious diseases in humans, and 75% of all new and emerging infectious diseases.
“The threats posed by pathogens jumping from animals to humans as well as the destruction of the environment cannot be effectively addressed by one sector alone.”
Ikeazor also explained that the development of the policy recognised that a collaborative, multi-sectoral and interdisciplinary approach is key to the mitigation of bio-threats and the success of any national biosecurity intervention.
She said the policy is strategically designed as a five-year plan with the intent to identify other several evolving actions that may have not been captured in the document when commencing the implementation.
Biosecurity focuses on preventing the loss, theft, misuse, diversion or intentional release of pathogens, toxins, and other related assets against humans, animals, plants and the environment.
Effective implementation
The Minister charged all the implementing Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to ensure effective implementation of the policy.
She continued: “The MDAs should also help support the ministry through the NBMA in evaluating how well we have done in the biosecurity sector, as well proffer critical way forward for the next review of the policy.
“The obligation in the implementation of this policy is that we play our specific roles and synergistically work with each other in line with our respective mandates.
“The mandates are guaranteeing a strong aggregation and unified efforts that will strengthen Nigeria’s National Biosecurity System.
“We must also aggregate our efforts at managerial level in ensuring an improved budgeting and funding mechanism in achieving our strategic plans considering the fact that biosecurity is now a national priority.
“We at the ministry as focal point will as much as we can, consistently advocate for adequate budgetary provisions for different implementing MDAs to help achieve their specific biosecurity roles in line with their mandates.”
Our government will continue its commitment to strengthening biosecurity and health security capacities in Nigeria as well as Africa.
Workable system
The Director-General, NBMA, Dr Rufus Ebegba, said the draft biosecurity policy and action plan developed by the agency, institutionalised a harmonised and workable biosecurity system.
Ebegba said the policy is a fundamental approach to minimising the risks of biological threats to the environment, human health, animals and plants.
He said the agency`s activity was delivered through a one-health-approach in agriculture, environment and human health with full knowledge that bio-threat prevention and control require effective collaboration between relevant stakeholders.
He thanked the Minister and other stakeholders for making the policy a reality, adding that the NBMA in collaboration with other relevant stakeholders would ensure its effective implementation.
The Acting High Commissioner of Canada, Kevin Tokar, said his country would continue to partner with Nigeria to strengthen the national and regional biosecurity capabilities.
He said the Canadian Government had contributed more than $8 million to strengthen Nigeria`s capacity to prevent, detect and respond to biological threats.
Tokar said: “our support includes the construction, operation and maintenance of bio-containment laboratories in Lagos and at the National Veterinary Research Institute in Vom, Plateau State.
“Our government will continue its commitment to strengthening biosecurity and health security capacities in Nigeria as well as Africa.”
