Disease surveillance: FCT gets new emergency operation centre

Disease surveillance: FCT gets new emergency operation centre
By Mustapha Sumaila
Centre
Abuja, May 14, 2018 (NAN) The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Public Health Emergency Operation Centre has been inaugurated to strengthen disease surveillance in Abuja, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.
The Chief Executive Officer, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu, inaugurated the centre on Monday.
Ihekweazu said the centre was another milestone recorded by the present administration in terms of disease surveillance.
He said that the newly established centre was the second in the country after the one in Zamfara.
He said NCDC had deployed technical personnel to train officers in the FCT’s Public Health Department on how to use the new emergency operation centre to boost surveillance in the territory.
According to him, the relationship between NCDC and the FCT public health department is cordial.
The NCDC boss noted that FCT deserved a robust healthcare system, being the centre of unity where people from different parts of the country reside.
In his remarks, the Director of FCT’s Public Health, Dr Humphrey Okoroukwu, said that with the new centre, his department would be able to monitor and get first hand information from the field across six area councils of the FCT.
Okoroukwu said that the new centre would be used for all health emergencies as well as for international teleconferences by linking up with any country of the world with a view to boost disease surveillance and control. (NAN)
MS/KOLE/MST
Edited by Remi Koleoso/Muhammad Suleiman Tola