N36M FOR NIGERIAN WHO FINDS CURE FOR CORONAVIRUS, LASSA FEVER

Minister of Health Challenges Nigerian Scientists

A N36m cash prize has been announced for any Nigerian that finds cure for coronavirus and Lassa fever. The announcement was made by the Minister of Science and Technology, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu on Thursday at an event held to mark the retirement from service of A. O. Oyesefo, a former director of the Department of Chemical Technology.

Coronaviruses (CoV) are a large family of viruses that cause illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV). Common signs of infection include respiratory symptoms, fever, cough, shortness of breath and breathing difficulties. In more severe cases, infection can cause pneumonia, severe acute respiratory syndrome, kidney failure and even death.

Lassa fever is an animal-borne, or zoonotic, acute viral illness that is endemic in parts of West Africa including Sierra Leone, Liberia, Guinea and Nigeria.

Dr Ogbonnaya Onu said, “I challenge all Nigerian scientists to go out and find cures for coronavirus and Lassa fever. Any scientist that is able to do this will be given N36m.There is nothing that we want to do that we can’t do. Nigeria will be making contributions to the world.”

He added, “We want our scientists to know that we place value on them. We want them to know that they are important. If you don’t do things like this, the scientists will think we don’t value them.Research takes a lot of time and energy, and we will be very happy to fulfil our pledge.

“This prize is open to the universities; it is also open to private laboratories and research institutes.”