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Recently, the world woke up to discover what has been diagnosed  as Swine Flu reminiscent of the bird  flu outbreak a few years ago. Though the World Health Organisation (WHO) had referred to the situation as a "public-health emergency of international concern," the continuous spread to several countries of an entirely new strain of H1N1 flu virus has led some scientists to believe that it is only a matter of time before the WHO declares that another pandemic has hit the world such that will result in travel bans to affected countries, prominent among which are Mexico, Spain and the United States. Though the flu has not been detected yet in Nigeria, the Federal Ministry of Health has ordered officials at various entry points into the country to begin some form of screening of immigrants and travelers. According to reports, this same flu was identified in 1976 when it killed 500,000 Americans while 20 million lives were lost worldwide. Before this time, the influenza was earlier discovered in 1918.
The fear of possible spread to other countries became more palpable last week as France, Hong Kong, New Zealand and Spain reported potential new cases in which people have been infected with the swine flu. Other countries have also identified several new cases. In the United States, where more than 179 cases have been confirmed, federal health officials have declared a public-health emergency and are preparing to distribute to state and local agencies a quarter of the country's 50 million-dose stockpile of antiviral drugs.
 Meanwhile, in hard-hit Mexico, where more than 2,000 cases have been reported, the government has had to close all public schools and canceled hundreds of public events in Mexico City to curtail further spread. Man-to-man transmissions have also been recorded. 
We have situations on our hands today that can easily create fear in the minds of anyone about disease outbreak. Doctors have frequently protested government policies on different issues concerning their welfare and condition of service and they have always been showing their grievances through strike actions which have seen some hospitals abandoning their patients unto death. What about our research capabilities to unravel the dimensions diseases are taking amongst the populace? Nigeria still suffers from high maternal mortality rate; the malaria scourge is still killing thousands of patients in our hospitals and homes daily while government medical centres and research institutes are left desolate with more of administrative tasks than medical and research activities to save lives. 
However, despite the inadequacies in the health sector, the Federal Government needs to be commended for the steps taken so far to identify, prevent and attack the swine flu. In fact, the WHO has identified Nigeria as one of the countries that have taken proactive and pre-emptive measures to contain this disease even as no case has been reported yet in Nigeria. This prompt response shows that the technocrats and professionals at the Federal Ministry of Health are working under a leadership that is focused and responsive. 
In this regard, we call on the same leadership in the health ministry to take a look at the nation's health and medical research institutions. These institutions need some form of re-engineering and more funding to be able to rise to emergencies like the swine flu. In the United States, there is the Centre for Disease Control (CDC) and in Mexico the National Centre for Epidemiology and Disease Control that are functional and consistently carry out researches into various spheres of science and medicine with particular focus on the origin, pattern of spread, prevention and cure of different diseases. 
On a final note, we plead with the Federal Government to continue along the path it has taken on the issue of swine flu. It should not take anything for granted especially now that there is renewed emphasis on agriculture and healthcare. The health ministry should remain close to developments regarding the spread and prevention of this potential pandemic around the world.