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The International Research Center of Excellence (IRCE) at the Institute of Human Virology Nigeria (IHVN) has partnered with The Young Missionary Movement (YOMM) of Nigeria to launch an initiative to equip young people from the 36 states of Nigeria with vital data science skills to advocate for HIV and COVID-19 prevention and management.

The event was part of community engagement activities under the INFORM Africa project and was themed, “Youth Data Science Champions: Empowering Young Leaders on the Importance of Data Science.” About 500 youths participated in the program which was held at Christ the King College in Gwagwalada. It featured a drama presentation, talks, and discussions.

Young Missionary Movement of Nigeria (YOMM) Lead Dr. Peter Adubi emphasized the event’s focus on empowering youth through data science education. The INFORM Africa Project leveraged on the YOMM annual National Youth Cultural Congress.

The feedback from the young people was overwhelmingly positive. Esene Anita appreciated the event’s storytelling aspect, which demonstrated how data can help control infections and aid government preparedness for future pandemics. Tersoo Ikpah, another participant said that the “Data Science and Visualization” workshop has taught how to effectively communicate data insights and create engaging narratives on health issues like HIV and COVID-19.

IHVN INFORM Research Hub Assistant Mrs. Adeola Ann Nicholas explained that the INFORM Africa Project aims to lay the groundwork for improved pandemic surveillance and response across Africa, particularly by exploring the interactions between COVID-19 and HIV.

Mrs. Nicholas said the project brings together a diverse team of experts in data science, epidemiology, geospatial statistics, and bioinformatics.

 “This team will focus on research projects that investigate the relationship between SARS-CoV-2 and HIV-1 in Nigeria and South Africa. Key goals include establishing comprehensive data streams, developing geospatial tools for pandemic surveillance, and expanding data science capacity to enhance public health outcomes,” she said.

The Dean of the University of Maryland School of Medicine, Prof Mark T. Gladwin, has praised the Institute of Human Virology Nigeria (IHVN) for its achievements in HIV prevention, treatment, and care in Nigeria.

In a message to the University of Maryland School of Medicine community, the Dean stated that he was particularly impressed with IHVN which is led by shared faculty members: Patrick Dakum, Chief Executive Officer, and Associate Professor in the Department of Epidemiology & Public Health; Charles Mensah,  Chief Operating Officer; and Alash’le Abimiku, Professor in the Department of Medicine and Executive Director of the International Research Center of Excellence (IRCE).

“IHVN has partnered with the University of Maryland’s Institute of Human Virology to screen more than 8 million people in Africa. We currently have 300,000 patients on active therapy in Nigeria alone. We visited sickle cell and oncology programs and discussed how we can leverage our 25 years of partnership with Nigeria to extend our collaborations in hopes of addressing the ‘epidemics’ of non-communicable diseases, including cancer, cardiovascular disease, and sickle cell anemia,” he said.

Prof Gladwin visited Nigeria and participated in the International Research Center of Excellence (IRCE) 2^nd Annual Scientific Symposium. He also visited government officials, the Hon Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, leaders of the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority, Lagos University Teaching Hospital, and the University of Abuja.

For more information on the Dean’s message, visit Dean’s Message | September 4, 2024 (constantcontact.com)

The Executive Director of the International Research Centre of Excellence (IRCE), Prof. Alash’le Abimiku is scheduled to participate in the Science Summit at the 79^th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 79) on 13^th September 2024.

Prof Abimiku will be serving as a panelist in a session, titled “Exploring Novel Solutions for Tracking and Adapting to the Health Impacts of Climate Change in Resource-Constrained Settings” which will focus on addressing the health challenges posed by climate change, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, and the innovative approaches required to respond to the crisis.

A press statement shared by the UNGA 79 Science Summit organizers revealed that the session will examine the critical intersections between climate change and health, with a special focus on vulnerable populations.

 “Notable topics will include climate change’s effects on maternal and child health, the role of data science in monitoring, treating, and preventing health impact, and the importance of global collaboration in implementing effective national adaptation strategies,” the statement said.

“Prof Abimiku will join experts including, Anayda Portela from the World Health Organization (WHO), Brad Newsome from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Ijeoma Solarin from Wits Planetary Health Research, and Chenfeng Xiong from Villanova University to discuss strategies for climate adaptation and financing mechanisms to support the health sector response to the Climate Crisis,” the statement said.

This session will also showcase how research, data, and international collaboration can accelerate climate action and protect the health of vulnerable communities.

For more information and to register for the event, please check https://sciencesummitunga.com/