By Dayo Adu

The Federal Government says efforts are ongoing to boost the capacity of healthcare delivery to safeguard the people against emerging Public Health cases in the country.

Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate stated this in Ibadan at the valedictory programme and 70th Birthday of former Minister of Health, Professor Isaac Folorunso Adewole.

Professor Ali Pate explained that health security was one of the pillars of the strategic blueprint of President Bola Tinubu administration saying measures are being put in place to enhance the capacity to diagnose and pick up infectous diseasesand map out interventions that will prevent its spread.

In a lecture entitled African Response to Emerging Public Threats: Lessons Learnt From EBOVAC and HPV Vaccine Trials, Professor Deborah Watson-Jones from the Faculty of Infectious Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, United Kingdom, advocated single dose vaccine to combat emerging public health cases in Nigeria.

Professor Watson-Jones who gave her experience in vaccine trials in the east Africa Advocated noted that studies from the trials showed that a single dose was more effective than a double dose regimen because recipients of the first dose might not represent themselves for the second dose thereby halting the efficacy of the vaccination programme.

Vice-Chancellor, University of Ibadan, Professor Kayode Adebowale, represented by Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Research, Innovation and Strategic Partnerships, Professor Oluyemisi Bamgbose, described the celebrant as a national figure who distinguished himself as a role model for excellence in Academics and public healthcare delivery.

Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Barrister Boss Mustapha, in A virtual address, described professor Isaac Adewole as a beacon of dedication and excellence in public healthcare delivery in Nigeria and the world.

In his response, the celebrant, Professor Isaac Adewole appreciated God for the opportunity to attain age seventy and the achievements and impacts recorded during his tenure of practice.

The Ilesa Professor of obstetrics and gynaecologist served as the 7th provost of the College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, the 11th vice chancellor of the same university and was later appointed as Minister of Health under former president Muhammadu Buhari’s administration