Medical experts on Monday warned that Nigeria risked travel bans with Canada’s detection of Omicron variant of COVID-19 in two travellers from Nigeria.
Virologists, including the Chairman of the Expert Review Committee on COVID-19, Professor Oyewale Tomori, lamented that the variant of the virus in Nigeria was detected in Canada.
Tomori berated the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) for its failure to coordinate genomic sequencing of samples of coronavirus obtained from laboratories across the country.
He said although there were laboratories, which could do the genomic sequencing of coronavirus in Nigeria, the NCDC had been bypassing them and taking samples to South Africa.
The Canadian government announced that it detected cases of the omicron variant from two travellers from Nigeria.
It was learnt that it was through the genomics sequencing of the virus that the variant of the disease could be detected.
Genomic sequencing is a laboratory method that is used to determine the entire genetic makeup of a specific organism or cell type and changes in areas of the genome.
The Omicron variant, a newly discovered strain of the coronavirus disease, was first reported by the government of South Africa and later by other Southern African countries including Zimbabwe, Botswana and Malawi.
The variant has also been reported in the United Kingdom, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Belgium and Hong Kong.
On Monday, Canada said the variant had been detected in two travellers, who recently visited Nigeria.
Commenting on the development, Tomori in an interview with one of our correspondents took a swipe at the NCDC.
He stated, “In Nigeria, we have more than one laboratory available for genomic sequencing. The problem we are facing is poor leadership from the NCDC. They have failed to coordinate and collaborate and also organise a national network for effective sequencing in Nigeria. Recall that I mentioned that a foreign laboratory will intimate us of the presence of the Omicron variant.
“Some of our laboratories now send test samples outside Nigeria for genomic sequencing when the best thing to do is to coordinate and collaborate.
“Six months ago, our committee sent a proposal to the government on the issue of genomics sequencing. We told them to organise a national network of genomics sequencing, and put NCDC as the coordinator. But what happened ? They refused. The NCDC said they were the only ones who are charged with sequencing so because the NCDC has control of the laboratories.
“They stopped sending samples to the other five genomic laboratories, but they will send to South Africa. This takes a lot of time but it is not just about the time, but the disgrace and absence of national pride, especially when you have similar facilities in your country.”
When asked if the country might risk a travel ban, he said, “Why not? if it does not come with the cases identified from Nigeria, I will be shocked.
A professor of medical virology, University of Maiduguri, Marycelin Baba in a separate interview with our correspondent agreed with Tomori.
She said, “Nigeria definitely risks travel bans . The government of Indonesia banned us even before the announcement of the variant by the Canadian government. The announcement could only mean one thing and that is the fact that the variant is already in our midst.
“It is however a thing of shame that we were notified of the presence of the virus by a foreign government and the NCDC is still saying we do not have the variant yet. At this point all we can advocate is speedy vaccination. We do not know if the variant is deadly or not but at least let people get vaccinated”.
Also, a professor of Community Medicine and Public Health, Adesegun Fatusi, stressed the importance of increased testing, saying this would help in curbing the spread of the virus.
Adesegun, who is also the Vice Chancellor of the University of Medical Sciences, Ondo, told one of our correspondents on Monday that it was evident that the Omicron virus was circulating in Nigeria.
He said, “It is not just about Omicron variant, but any variant, and all variants. We should improve access to testing. More importantly, we should step up preventive actions.
“With two cases detected among Nigerian passengers, it implies that the variant is already circulating in Nigeria.”
On his part, a Medical Virologist at the Adeleke University, Ede, Osun State, Dr. Oladipo Kolawole, said it was time for the country to wake up and test more people to curb the spread of the Omicron variant of COVID-19.
“The government should wake up from their sleep in terms of testing; we need to test more and more efforts should be intensified on the molecular epidemiology with more sequencing capability. Then the government should establish more sequencing and genomics analysis hub across the country, this will help a lot.” – Punch.
