Governor Simon Lalong has inaugurated a Special Committee for Research on Coronavirus and other infectious diseases in Plateau State with Prof. Noel N. Wannang, a pharmacologist and toxicologist of the University of Jos, as lead researcher.
In a statement after the inauguration at Government House, Rayfield, the governor said although the state had to deal with many infectious diseases in the past, it had not been confronted with anything like COVID-19.
“Indeed, our generation is facing perhaps one of its most difficult times. Clearly, COVID-19 has reminded us of the need to be proactive in not only upgrading our medical facilities and improving manpower, but also working ahead to develop preventive and curative capacity for infectious diseases,” Lalong said.
He charged members who comprise of researchers from various tertiary institutions within the state, to work hard in utilizing the human and material resources available in Plateau State that are capable of giving solutions for the treatment of infectious diseases such as COVID-19 that the state and nation is dealing with.
“It is a known fact that Plateau State is endowed with herbal and medicinal products that could be harnessed towards building our capacity to withstand the threat of diseases such as the Coronavirus if and when they spring up. Therefore, we must not only look inwards to find a solution to the current COVID-19 challenge, but also use today’s experience to prepare for the future in order to avoid panic and desperation.”
