PPSN

 

The establishment of new universities in the country and subsequent appointment of the pioneer members as lecturers to develop the zoology, microbiology, veterinary and medical disciplines marked an important phase in the network and the shaping of Parasitology, Entomology and Public health issues in training curriculum. A more robust and distinctly ambitious curriculum for the teaching of Entomology and Parasitology was introduced. The new curriculum responded to the agricultural revolution, water development, and its complementary need for pest and diseases control and management skills. The responsibility for addressing this challenge rested on these pioneers and they tackled it at the capacity development stage. A radically new zoology curriculum was developed with domestic relevance in mind and generous component of entomology, parasitology and diseases of public and veterinary health importance. Hitherto, zoology graduates were perceived as fit only for employment in zoological gardens. The training curriculum that emerged responded to the “Green revolution” and “Health for All” programs of the late 70s and 80s. Subsequently the demand for entomologist and parasitologist for the development of government program in Agriculture, Veterinary schools established Departments of Parasitology and Medical Microbiology as well as Entomology to complement the training in applied aspects of biology including microbiology, biochemistry and pharmacology.

The network widened and the membership of the society became diverse, in background training, institutional affiliation, research interest and location within the country. The responsibilities of trained parasitologist and entomologist also diversified from teaching and direct intervention against diseases to managing programs with varying health outcome needs (from ophthalmology to nutrition, worm control to sexually transmitted diseases , water and sanitation) as well as performing various tasks including consultancy to health education communication. In addition to the Universities, the Nigerian Veterinary Research Institute (NVRI, Vom) and the Nigerian Institute for Medical Research (NIMR), Biological Control Program, Vom (BICOT), the Nigerian Institute for Trypanosomiasis and Onchocerciasis Research (NITOR) and many of the River Basin Development authorities recruited parasitologists in large numbers. The technical competence of these graduates made them the cream of recruiting services at the international level with a large number managing programs at WHO and international development agencies. Only a very few sought employment in the bureaucratic arm of government until the early 1990s when their visibility in the field led them to the policy arm of government. Multi-sectoral and multidisciplinary coinages were introduced into the health sector policy through these fresh entrants into the civil service reflecting the environment in which parasitologist worked in the field. The base of health system research became the purview of graduates and with dwindling local funding the expertise for mobilizing external research funding became a necessity for fresh graduates.

The need for training curriculum to reflect this became imperative leading to mentoring in proposal writing for grants. WHO support to the Department of Zoology, University of Jos for the training of applied entomologist and parasitologist for Anglophone Africa boosted the network and curriculum. The institution became a centre of excellence for networking and training of applied field research in health system generally for most Africans. Social science disciplines and education became incorporated in the training of parasitologist to reflect their public health calling on graduation.

The cream of those early promoters of the society are leaders in universities and research institutes as Vice Chancellors, Directors and managers of control programs at home and abroad having successfully mentored successive generations of disease control and health system research experts. With current challenges in disease control, severe economic changes, diversity in the proprietorship of educational institutions and knowledge-seeking, new initiatives are required for the development of the network to respond to the current needs. At the moment there are more than 80 universities in the country up from six when the society was founded. Training curriculum had become more diverse. Holistic knowledge of disease control had also changed requiring basic knowledge of sociology, economics, computer, surveying as well as communication technology and history. Multidisciplinary and participatory challenges require strengthening the network, expanding membership beyond the country to reflect current global views on disease control. With current doctrine of global and social responsibility, the pleasure of responsive giving, and partnership building, only professionally managed networks of members of civil society are favored to influence policy, irrespective of previous history of performance or credibility and integrity, pragmatic performance of the individual members.

STRENGTHS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR PPSN RESPONSE
PPSN enjoys the visibility that over four decades of existence and outstanding service by our member confers. The society is one of the longest serving in the country with the singular advantage of functioning without formal registration or professional management office. The commitment of its members to the collective goal of the founders has sustained the society for more than 40 years. The operation of the Society was founded on the credibility and integrity of its individual members that define the process that has been used for the management of the society. Back to About