NIMR cries out for help as EKO Electric sends disconnection notices.

The Director General, Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, NIMR, Yaba, Lagos, has again sent an SOS to the Federal Government and the good people of Nigeria to aid as Ikeja Electric threatens a showdown with the institute.

Since the assumption of the office of Professor John Obafunwa, 

Ikeja Electric had been on the trail of the institute, sending high bills without meters and threatening to cut the power supply if it did not pay the outrageous amount it sent to the institute every month.

Professor Obafunwa, who expressed dismay at the constant harassment by EKo Electric insisting the crazy bill must be paid, said that NIMR is not a money-making institution but a research center that relies on government funds and donor agencies to perform its functions.

Prof said the institute had been making efforts to pay the earlier bills, but over time, it appeared there was no end to the payment as bills kept increasing and all efforts made to discuss a review yielded no results. 

According to him, " a series of meetings, messages, and calls seemed not to be yielding any results; rather, it has been threats and notices of disconnection, adding that any attempt to disrupt the power supply to the institute would be disastrous".

Professor Obafunwa, who went emotional at some point, stressed that the most worrisome aspect of the power cut would be the reversal of biological samples, reagents, and equipment provided by foreign donors, which are used for research.

"We have biological samples to be analyzed. These reagents are often provided by foreign donors. Equipment provided by foreign donors.

" I tried several times to explain to the authorities of Eko Electricity that we can't afford to shut down NIMR. We've had to depend to a large extent on foreign donors to assist us. But it's like some people don't seem to get it". Obafunwa lament 

He explained further, " Ikeja Electricity gave us a bill of almost $49 million for August, $48 million or so for September. October $44 million, I don't know what we are consuming. We've had to shut down power in the residential quarters".

The DG continued, " In the residences, power is shut down at 9 a.m. and restored at about 4 p.m. We have research going on in NIMR. We have temperature-sensitive equipment. We have reagents, and for these reasons, I've had consultations with

some other people,  I'd previously raised some concerns about what I still consider to be deliberate attempts to frustrate NIMR, and I'm talking about power supply.

"We are not a tertiary educational institution. We don't have the number of students that you have, whether it's University of Lagos, or Lagos State University, or whatever, that pays school fees, all that he said fell on deaf ears".  he emphasized

Prof stated, " We keep getting estimated bills," but information has it that NIMR's Metre is located in the Jibowu office, according to Officials of Eko Electric.

He explained that, as part of efforts made, "We've copied the legal office for NIMR. We've copied the National Electricity Regulation Commission. And we have now gone as far as trying to fix and install a meter here to be sure we're consuming that much electricity". 

He however called on people who matter to intervene and save the institute from a total blackout.

Treat feverish conditions with caution: not all febrile illnesses are Malaria or thyroid - NIMR.

To check emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases, particularly Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers, which are common in Nigeria, there is the need to screen febrile patients with improved diagnostics, vaccines, and treatment.

Enhancing surveillance systems to effectively control and manage the diseases is also necessary. 

A Director of Research and Deputy Director General of the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, NIMR, Professor Rosemary Audubon, made that call during a chat with newsmen in Lagos. 

Professor Audu said research findings revealed that, in Nigeria, Lassa fever remains a major public health issue because in February this year, " the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) reported 413 cases and 80 deaths across 11 states and 63 local government areas ".

According to her, " Between 2021 and 2024, dengue, Zika, yellow fever, and chikungunya viruses were detected in febrile patients in Oyo and Delta states, a result she described as surprising 

“And in Ondo State, we confirmed the endemicity of Lassa fever, yet 80 percent of suspected cases tested negative, raising concerns about undiagnosed infections,” she said.

“In Delta State, yellow fever virus was detected in mosquito pools even after fumigation, questioning the efficacy of control measures”

Studies on Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever in Kwara State provided insights into its prevalence among herdsmen and febrile patients. 

Sequencing Nigeria’s first SARS-CoV-2 case in 2020 and conducting seroprevalence studies across multiple states, providing critical data on COVID-19’s spread, was part of her research. 

" Between 2021 and 2024, the team detected dengue, Zika, yellow fever, and chikungunya viruses in febrile patients across Oyo and Delta states ". Audu

On its impact on Public health,

Mrs Audu observed that the detection of multiple viral infections in Nigerian communities indicates active transmission, hence the need for interventions.

" Our research confirms the need for intensified efforts to control both rodent and mosquito populations,” she said

“We also need to enhance diagnostic capabilities for VHFs and raise awareness among healthcare providers to improve case detection.”

Professor Audu, who stressed the importance of public knowledge in disease detection and prevention, warned health workers to treat every fever with suspicion because many febrile illnesses in Nigeria are mistaken for malaria and typhoid:" 

Despite the numerous breakthroughs, Mrs Audu noted that NIMR faces several challenges, including limited funding, irregular sampling, and the high cost of serology kits.

She explained that the institute is exploring additional grant opportunities and increasing fieldwork engagement among postgraduate researchers to address the issues having been given the mandate.

Looking ahead, she said NIMR aims to expand VHF surveillance to more states, develop improved diagnostics and vaccines, and evaluate the effectiveness of available Mpox vaccines for Nigerian strains.

“Understanding the diversity of infectious agents will improve disease control and guide better public health decisions,” she said.

“Our findings have been shared at national and international scientific conferences, and we remain committed to collaborating with policymakers to implement effective health strategies.”

Earlier, the Director-General of the Institute, Professor NIMR John Obafunwa, again complained of the electricity situation in the Institute, expressing dismay that the dwindling power supply and the threat of disconnection by the PHCN was a huge challenge as research equipments are temperature sensitive. 

He explained that for NIMR to perform optimally and take its pride of place in research and production of test kits, especially to Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers, government and well-meaning individuals should support the Institute to ensure sustainability.  

The Forensic Pathology expert stressed the importance of early and accurate disease diagnosis, citing inadequate diagnostic tools and the high costs of medical reagents as some of the challenges.

" The increasing presence of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes as explained by Professor Audu could increase the spread of arboviral diseases if left unchecked hence the need to act fast ". Obafunwa warned.