By Rebecca Ejifoma
The Academy of Medicine Specialties has appointed a team of eminent medical experts to assess and advise the government on the way forward.
The list includes Prof Geoffrey Onyemelukwe, Prof Wole Tomori, Prof Vincent Rotimi, Prof Akin Osibogun, Prof Bruce Ovbiagele, Prof Obinna Onwujekwe and Prof Tunde Salako.
Others are Prof Sade Ogunsola, Prof Sunday Omilabu; Prof Christian Happi and Dr. Yahaya Mohammed. They are experts in Virology, Microbiology, Epidemiology, and Medicine.
Like other National Academy of Medicine, the team of experts was assembled to launch a rapid-response initiative committee, as noted in a media statement signed by the President of the Academy, Prof Oladapo Ashiru.
The team, he added, would explore the current state of the art and provide recommendations to improve the country-wide strategy for preparedness, border control in cases of new Pandemics, regulatory approval, distribution of vaccines, and post-approval surveillance for adverse events.
While listing that the expert committee would head this Rapid initiative group, Ashiru said fellows of the academy with interest in communicable disease are also indicated to be invited to join the group.
“They would advise the Academy regularly to be published and given to Government and Newsletter to the Academy and the Public,” he outlined.
According to the president, the experts are expected to give immediate advice on the enormous task of facing the SARS-C0v2 multifaceted challenges.
They would contribute and make recommendations on the current struggle to vaccinate or not.
“If, with mRNA or DNA vaccines and AEFI consequences, to which groups or not to administer the vaccine; Use of Ivermectin, steaming, Vitamin supplements and other ramifications.”
Part of their duties is also to help in continuous monitoring of global trends in other infections such as Ebola and recommend necessary preventive measures.
