~ as visiting international experts commend rare scientific initiatives
By Abdul Kareem
YOBE, Nigeria – A coalition of international scientists on a summer school training visit to Yobe State, northeast Nigeria, has hailed the state as a flourishing center for science and research in Africa.
The scholars, coming from the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Spain, South Africa, Algeria, Senegal, and Ghana, praised Governor Mai Mala Buni for his efforts in establishing and supporting the Biomedical Training and Research Center at Yobe State University in Damaturu.
“This is the third summer school training since the center’s establishment, featuring accomplished scholars,” said Dr. Mahmoud Bukar Maina, Director of the research center.
“We hosted three workshops on artificial intelligence, malaria research, and brain disease research, training 450 medical doctors, scientists, researchers, and academicians from across Africa.”
Professors Sharon (USA), Amadi (South Africa), Sadiq Yusuf, Vice Chancellor of Newgate University, and Yaw (Ghana) expressed their optimism about Yobe State’s future as a hub for science and research tourism, attributing this potential to Governor Buni’s commitment to the field.
“I assure you that soon, people will be coming to Yobe State from all over the world,” said Prof. Amadi. “His Excellency, the Governor, has demonstrated a form of science and neuro diplomacy that will attract researchers and scientists to your state.”
Prof. Mala Daura, Vice Chancellor of Yobe State University, thanked Governor Buni for his continuous support, which has been crucial in the university’s journey towards becoming a center of excellence.
According to a statement shared with The Humanitarian Times by Mamman Mohammed, a
Director General, Press and Media Affairs, Governor Buni reaffirmed the government’s dedication to the center’s development.
“Last year, I visited renowned research institutes, including the Crick Research Institute, York University, the London School of Hygiene, and University College London, to form partnerships in research and training, especially concerning kidney disease affecting parts of the state,” Buni said.
“As your team visits Gashua, one of the most affected areas, I urge you to deepen your research on the disease’s cause.”
The Humanitarian Times had easier published an article detailing how the Governor Mai-Mala Buni’s administration is proactively responding to the issues of chronic kidney disease (CKD) that has reached epidemic levels, posing a significant threat to residents’ life expectancy.
In that article we highlighted how The state government, under Governor Mai-Mala Buni, has initiated a program offering free dialysis sessions to patients struggling with renal failure. Alongside providing immediate relief, the government is investing in groundbreaking research at the Biomedical Science, Research, and Training Center to uncover the root causes of the disease and develop long-term preventive measures. This initiative has been a beacon of hope for many patients, such as Musa Ibrahim and Fatima Yusuf, who now have access to life-saving treatment they could not afford before.
The Research and Training Center has received over a billion naira in investments to acquire cutting-edge medical equipment and foster collaboration with international institutions like University College London and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. Led by Dr. Mahmoud Bukar Maina, the center aims to understand the prevalence of kidney diseases in the region and develop effective solutions. With advanced technology like Real-Time PCR systems and Laser Scanning Confocal Microscopes, researchers are making strides in studying cellular structures and dynamic processes within cells to further the understanding and treatment of chronic kidney disease in Yobe State.
The Humanitarian Times 