The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, NCDC has refuted an allegations by Chief of Russian Radiation, Chemical and Biological Protection Force, who claimed that the novel chickenpox emanated from Nigeria before spreading to Europe.
The Russian claimed that "there are four US-controlled biological laboratories operating in Nigeria," that "the WHO reports that the Monkeypox (MPX) virus responsible for outbreaks in Europe and elsewhere was imported from Nigeria where the United States of America deployed its biological infrastructure. In order words, MPX virus is generated in these laboratories".
However, the country's disease control body has said the country has no laboratory where monkeypox is generated.
"The statement is not backed by any evidence", the agency posted on its portal. "The designation and activities of Nigerian public health laboratories are known to the supervising authorities, most of the laboratories having been procured and set up by the Federal Government in all 36 States and FCT for diagnostic purposes, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and other infectious diseases."
"Some other laboratories are dedicated to the very successful HIV control program, managed by the Federal Government and her Partners, based on larger and longstanding bilateral and multilateral cooperation in public health, including prevention, diagnosis, surveillance, and control of diseases.
"As a rule, Nigeria welcomes scientific cooperation with all foreign countries, and has received material support from the United Kingdom, Germany, Japan etc, and also discussed vaccine production with Russia. Collaboration between Nigeria and the United States has provided opportunities for technical assistance, capacity building, provision of equipment and field hospitals at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, and funds to support health programmes, like HIV/AIDS, malaria elimination." It read.
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