Policy Framework

Policy Framework: 

1. Collaboration between the College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Agriculture, College of Medicine, Benue State University College of Medicine, and Teaching Hospital, and the Federal Medical Centre, Makurdi, in addition to other collaborating laboratories nationally and internationally.

The modes of collaboration between the human and veterinary colleges will be as follows:

  • Collaborative Research
  • Collaboration in Teaching:

*  Joint postgraduate programme in Public Health and Epidemiology

*  Joint seminars, conferences, even clinical rounds

*  Specialized lectures from Physicians/Veterinarians

 

2. The Research agenda for the Centre include the following:

Neglected Zoonosis:

The World Health Organization has identified several zoonotic diseases as ‘Neglected Zoonotic Diseases (NZD).  These include:  Anthrax, Human zoonotic African trypanosomiasis, brucellosis, bovine tuberculosis, rabies, cysticercosis /neurocysticercosis, and cystic echinococcosis (hydatid disease).  Many of these are endemic zoonotic diseases, which attack the livestock keepers and simultaneously reduce the productivity of their livestock, contributing to rural poverty.  Of the NZDs, the Amadu Ali Centre’s initial focus will b e on Human Zoonotic African trypanosomiasis, Onchocerciasis, Brucellosis, Bovine tuberculosis (hydatid disease), and rabies.  In addition, some of the members if the team have special interest in Hepatitis B and C.  Benue State University Teaching Hospital is very interested in the Hepatitis while Federal Medical Centre, Makurdi is particularly interested in Tuberculosis.

 

In addition the Centre will endeavor to set up diagnosis services, to provide assistance to physicians in the catchment areas in the laboratory investigation of pyrexias of unknown origin, some of which may be caused by brucellosis or human African trypanosomiasis which can be clinically confused with ‘drug resistant malaria’.