Nigeria’s healthcare sector received a boost on Thursday with the commissioning of the first Genetic Molecular Laboratory and Research Centre at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) to aid precise diagnosis and intervention of genetic disorders among Nigerians.
With the operation of the laboratory, genetic diseases like sickle cell, Down syndrome, certain cancers, like those that affect the breasts and ovaries, can now be detected early in families and individuals with ease to aid prevention and early treatment and intervention.
The centre also offers DNA Biotechnology and prenatal screening and genetic diagnosis with the future hope to do gene therapy.
The multi-million naira laboratory and research complex, which is a project of Chevron Corporation/NNPC Venture and LUTH, also has the collaborative effort of the Department of Molecular Genetics, Antwerp University Belgium.
Speaking at the occasion, Health Minister, Onyebuchi Chukwu, described the project, which is mostly a private partnership initiative, as a landmark in the medical practice in the country.
According to the minister, who was represented by Director, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Dr. Abdusalami Nasidi, “facilities such as genomic (molecular) laboratories fulfil a unique need in Nigeria because advancement in genomic technology has made it possible for nearly all human disease particularly cancers to be linked to genomic aberrations.
“Similarly, genomic studies have made it possible to link familial relationship of mankind over several generations”
He noted that when the laboratory and research centre becomes fully operational, it would aid access to precise diagnosis of infectious agents and lead to speedy and appropriate interventions as well as shorten hospital stay of patients.
He applauded the initiative of Chevron/NNPC at considering the need for the centre at a time when the country’s economy needed a boost and a turnaround in brain drain and medical tourism.
In her remark, Vice President, Policy and Planning, Chevron Corporation, Rhonda Zygocki, disclosed that the collaboration of NNPC/Chevron Joint Venture in the molecular laboratory project was a deliberate support to bring succour to Nigerians, who hitherto had to travel overseas for the services offered by such facility.
According to her, “The commissioning of this facility today is significant because it will be the first of its kind that is operational in Nigeria”.
She added, “With the establishment of this laboratory at LUTH, the NNPC/Chevron joint venture has unlocked DNA biotechnology for Nigeria and in particular, LUTH will be able to provide some services for Nigerians which hitherto were not readily available in the country; this include prenatal diagnosis of sickle cell anaemia, DNA finger printing (using biologic products to identify individuals), parentage testing, screening for breast cancer gene 1 &2 (BRCA 1/2) and other types of Molecular diagnosis.
