NIBSA Raises Concern Over Low Biosafety And Biosecurity Awareness and Practice

The Nigerian Biological Safety Association (NiBSA) has expressed worry that biosafety and biosecurity have remained big challenges for healthcare, agriculture, environment, humans, animals, forests, scientists, researchers, and even the climate as it maintained that, the fragility of communities to new bio-risk is worrisome not only to researchers but the entire global science community.

In a statement made available to RegentAfrica Times and signed by the Media Consultant, Jack Lampang Abia (Jnr), NiBSA advocated for national and regional governments and organizations to be committed and proactive in the implementation of programmes, actions and policies that will lead to better effective disease control, prevention of infections and treatment.

The statement added that there are biosafety and biosecurity laws in some countries, but it’s quite unfortunate that the laws are not being followed, many practitioners and stakeholders do not even know that there are biosafety and biosecurity laws in their country, and that’s a great risk to the individual and also the entire nation and region.

It stated that this also has both economic and health implications to the society and that many countries of the world have banned some Nigerian Agricultural Produce exported to them because of biosafety and biosecurity concerns.

NiBSA, however, suggests that Biosafety and Biosecurity experts, policy makers and Insurance firms must play vital roles if the efforts and desires of Federal and State governments in providing food for the masses of Nigeria and even export to other nations must be achieved.

It further advised the government that agricultural loans given to farmers must have insurance coverage as a condition for accessing such loan either in the livestock sector or the crop sector as this will give farmers confidence and protection against any unforeseen occurrences that might befall them.

NiBSA recommended that greater efforts must be made nationally, regionally and globally to control zoonotic diseases and genetically modified anthropods.

With these numerous concerns raised, the Nigerian Biological Safety Association (NiBSA) will bring together experts in Biosafety and Biosecurity, Scientists, Researchers, key stakeholders and professionals to converge in Abuja from November 18th to 23rd to brainstorm and find solutions to these emerging monster and unwanted bioagents that are facing mankind.