By Joseph Erunke, Abuja

Health experts from Nigeria and abroad have called on the Federal Government to scale up investments in health research, warning that the country risks being unprepared for major epidemics if it continues to rely heavily on dwindling global aid.

The appeal was made on Monday at the 3rd IRCE Scientific Symposium 2025, organised by the Institute of Human Virology Nigeria (IHVN) in Abuja.

The symposium, themed ?Combating Viral Threats through Public Health Response and Research,? brought together scientists, policymakers, and development partners to examine how Nigeria can strengthen epidemic preparedness in the face of recurring viral outbreaks.

A report presented at the meeting, based on the INFORM Index for Risk Management, ranked Nigeria 12th globally for epidemic risk, categorising the country as high-risk due to weak health systems, poor surveillance, and slow response mechanisms.

Dr. Alash?le Abimiku, Executive Director of the International Centre of Excellence at IHVN, stressed that research must be the foundation of Nigeria?s preparedness strategy.

?Unless we do research, we are working in darkness. We must commit time, effort, and resources to research that informs our public health response,? she said.

She noted that most major outbreaks in Nigeria?including COVID-19, Lassa fever, Marburg, and Dengue?are viral, adding that unchecked outbreaks could escalate into pandemics. Abimiku also lamented Nigeria?s failure to act on longstanding knowledge about Lassa fever prevention, such as protecting food from rodent contamination.

Dr. Patrick Dakum, CEO of IHVN, warned that Nigeria can no longer depend on donor support, as international funding for outbreak response is shrinking.

He explained that local research helps identify disease hotspots, track undiagnosed conditions, and adapt diagnostic tools to Nigeria?s needs. ?This symposium aims to sharpen Nigeria?s preparedness by identifying the most pressing viral threats and aligning resources accordingly,? Dakum said.

A representative of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Tosin Afowowe, highlighted chronic gaps in epidemic management, including inadequate funding, weak coordination, low vaccination coverage, and insecurity.

?Delays in case confirmation and vaccination gaps leave communities vulnerable. We need more resources to coordinate human, animal, and environmental health responses,? he said.

Edo State Commissioner for Health, Cyril Oshiomole, whose state has been heavily affected by Lassa fever, said subnational governments cannot tackle viral threats alone.

He disclosed that Edo has allocated ?64 billion to its health sector, including ?800 million for ministry-level activities, which has supported infection control and digital awareness campaigns.

?States require strong collaboration with national and international partners. Research gives us the data to make better policies and interventions,? he added.

Participants at the symposium unanimously agreed that Nigeria must: Increase domestic investment in health research; Reduce dependence on donor funding; Translate scientific findings into practical policies and local-language awareness campaigns; and Strengthen coordination between federal, state, and community-level actors.

They warned that without stronger research and preparedness systems, Nigeria remains vulnerable to the next epidemic.

?Together, we must ensure every outbreak is swiftly contained before it becomes a national or global crisis,? the communiqu? read.

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