FG Is Not Satisfied With Biosafety Management – Osagie Ehanire

Posted by: Folamidavid in News, Politics Nov 22, 2019

Nigeria’s Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire, has come out to say that the Federal Government is not pleased with the efforts made by stakeholders to guarantee biosafety in Nigeria’s health sector.

Osagie feels the country is not just burdened by infectious diseases but also battle to use technology for the prevention of the spread of pathogens.

He added that even if they are not where they want to be, they have been making steady progress.

“We recognise that we are not yet where we want to be, but we are aware of many of our weaknesses and making good progress.

“The world is becoming more and more of a global village, due to the ease and speed of modern travel. Therefore, risk in one country is a risk for all countries.

“We cannot make progress in biosafety and biosecurity if we do not work with other countries. The emergence of Africa centre for disease control and West Africa Health Organization provide a strong and unique opportunity for Africa.”

Yemi Osinbajo also said, “We must look at biosafety and biosecurity from the angle of national security; that is, preventing criminals from deliberately using technology to cause long and short-term threats by introducing animal or plant diseases into the environment, food and water system.

“We must not be static in the use of these biotechnology but to ensure that as technology advances, we also reduce the risk of its abuse and optimise its benefits.”

Are you satisfied?

Osagie Emmanuel Ehanire (born November 4, 1946) is a Nigerian medical doctor and politician. He was appointed as the Minister of State for Health in the President Muhammadu Buhari administration in November 2015. Following the submission of the ministerial nominees to the Senate by the Presidency in July 2019 and subsequent screening, He was appointed as the Minister of Health in August 2019.

Osagie Ehanire was born on November 4, 1946 in Oredo Local Government Area of Edo State.

After his primary education, he attended Government College Ibadan in Oyo state for his West African School Certificate and he excelled at his Higher School Certificate examination there. He later studied Medicine at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich in Germany qualifying as a physician. He went on to the Teaching Hospital of the University of Duisburg and Essen and to the BG Accident Hospital in Duisburg, Germany for his post graduate education. In 1976, he attended the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland where he obtained postgraduate Diploma in Anaesthetics. He got his Board Certification in both General Surgery and Orthopaedic Trauma Surgery at the Medical Board of North Rhine Westphalia in Duesseldorf, Germany. In 1984, he became a Fellow of West African College of Surgeons.

He was appointed as a delegate of Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) to the political merger conference that gave birth to the All Progressive Congress (APC). As the Edo State Coordinator for the Buhari Campaign Organization, he was a key player in ensuring the victory of President Muhammadu Buhari at the 2015 presidential election held in the state. In October 2015, he made the list of ministerial nominees to serve the Buhari led administration. After being screened and cleared by the National Assembly, he was appointed as the Minister of State for Health in November 2015. Following the beginning of a new administration in May 2019 and the submission of the ministerial nominees to the Senate by the Presidency in July 2019 and subsequent screening, He was appointed the Minister of Health in August 2019.

He is married with children. He has 5 children.