Health experts have converged on Lagos for the 10th African Conference on One Health and Biosecurity.
The two day conference focuses on sharing cutting-edge research, innovative solutions, and evidence-based policies to strengthen Africa’s biosecurity landscape.
Africa’s rapid urbanization, driven by climate change, heightens biosecurity concerns as megacities become hotspots for infectious disease outbreaks and health toxicity.
Experts in epidemiology, virology, biosafety, and other biosecurity specialties, researchers from across Africa and beyond along with policymakers gathered to share their latest findings and insights on pressing biosecurity concerns.
The Medical professionals say 60% of infectious diseases, including COVID-19, Ebola, influenza, and Monkeypox and other have zoonotic origins, necessitating collaborative One Health approaches and advanced Synthetic Biology to mitigate global biosecurity risks in Africa.
The pressing question is how prepared are Africa, Nigeria, and Lagos state to tackle “Agent X,” the unknown outbreak that is looming on the horizon?
For Africa, the question is no longer, IF, but WHEN is the next pandemic?