ABUJA. – The West African Health Organisation (WAHO) has donated a thermal camera to be used at the new terminal of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
This is part of a set of high resolution thermal cameras provided by the organisation in three airports – Abuja, Enugu and Kano.
Speaking at the commissioning of the thermal camera in Abuja, the Director General of WAHO Professor Stanley Okolo, expressed commitment to continue supporting health security in Nigeria, by working with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Port Health Services and other relevant agencies.
In his remarks, Nigeria’s Minister of Health, Prof Isaac Adewole expressed gratitude to WAHO, stating that the thermal cameras will strengthen the country’s efforts at real time surveillance and detection at ports of entry.
The Minister was represented by the Director of Planning, Research and Statistics, Dr. Emmanuel Meribole.
In addition to the thermal cameras provided by WAHO, the Dangote Foundation had provided similar equipment in the past, in response to the Ebola outbreak.
The provision of thermal cameras by the Dangote Foundation and WAHO in support of the work led on by NCDC in protecting the health of Nigerians, is an example of how the private sector and regional organisations can collaborate on health security.
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) was established in the year 2011 in response to the challenges of public health emergencies and to enhance Nigeria’s preparedness and response to epidemics through prevention, detection, and control of communicable diseases. Its core mandate is to detect, investigate, prevent and control diseases of national and international public health importance.
