By Emmanuel Kwada
In an open letter to His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, Governor of Adamawa State, Dr. Fewudu I. U. Midlu, a distinguished medical laboratory scientist and public health expert, has lauded the establishment of the state’s world-class Public Health Laboratory while urging its institutionalization as a distinct entity to maximize its impact on Nigeria’s healthcare landscape.
The newly established Adamawa State Public Health Laboratory is hailed as a transformative milestone, not only for the state but for the North East region and Nigeria as a whole. Dr. Midlu described the facility as a “turning point” in public health, aligning with World Health Organization standards and poised to revolutionize disease prevention, surveillance, and control.
Equipped with state-of-the-art technology, the laboratory is expected to address critical delays in diagnosing infectious diseases, such as Lassa fever, mpox, and zoonotic infections, which previously required sample transportation to Maiduguri or Abuja for confirmation.
This facility is more than a building; it is a shared aspiration turned into reality
“This facility is more than a building; it is a shared aspiration turned into reality,” Dr. Midlu wrote, congratulating Governor Fintiri and his team for their visionary leadership.
The laboratory’s ability to conduct specialized testing, including pathogen identification, environmental analysis, and genomic sequencing, positions Adamawa as a leader in combating emerging and infectious diseases.
However, Dr. Midlu emphasized the critical need to maintain a clear distinction between the Public Health Laboratory and routine medical laboratories to ensure public safety and operational efficiency.
Unlike routine medical laboratories, which focus on individual patient diagnostics, the Public Health Laboratory prioritizes population-level surveillance, epidemiology, and outbreak investigations.
Its scope includes handling highly infectious samples, requiring stringent biosafety protocols and secure storage conditions, such as maintaining samples at -87°C for extended periods.
“Allowing routine laboratory functions to coexist within this facility poses serious risks to patient and public safety,” Dr. Midlu cautioned, highlighting the potential for mishandling infectious materials.
Allowing routine laboratory functions to coexist within this facility poses serious risks to patient and public safety
He urged the governor to institutionalize the laboratory as a standalone entity within Adamawa’s healthcare framework, governed by statutory laws aligned with global standards like ISO 15894 and SLIPTA accreditation.
Such a move would foster collaboration with the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control, Africa Centre for Disease Control, and the World Health Organization.
Dr. Midlu’s letter concluded with a call for swift action to ensure the laboratory’s independence, safeguarding community health and enhancing Adamawa’s capacity to respond to public health challenges.
“This is a monumental gift to our citizens,” he wrote, pledging continued support for Governor Fintiri’s vision.
As Adamawa State prepares to operationalize this groundbreaking facility, the call for its distinct institutionalization underscores the need to balance innovation with safety, setting a precedent for public health excellence in Nigeria.
