Memorial Lecture Addresses Weak Health System, Development Of Health Sector
An icon, a master of the medical profession, who put all his resources both financial and manpower into the development of the health sector.
These are some of the encomium used to describe the late Professor Loveth Lawson by his families, friends, professional colleagues those who had come across him during his lifetime at the Prof. Lovett Lawson Memorial Lecture, in Nasarawa state.
The wife of late Professor Lawson, Mrs. Julian-Olufunke Lawson, described her husband who loved his work passionately and committed so much to it.
Mrs. Lawson said to build on the legacies her husband left behind, there was the need for government at all levels to concentrate on building the capacity of all health workers on infectious diseases especially Tuberculosis.
Wife of late Professor Lawson, Mrs. Julian-Olufunke Lawson 
Executive Director, KNCV Foundation Dr. Gidado Mustapha
According to her, “Nigeria’s health care system cannot be left for the government alone, it is my hope that my husband, Professor Lawson’s legacies on TB elimination will continue to impact Nigerians positively.”
‘‘The work on TB has to be a partnership, there has to be some money kept aside for capacity building, that money will help raise more hands to tackle infectious diseases.
‘‘Government can begin to raise health workers early from the universities, they can be trained, lab scientists, medical students, those who will make these diagnoses must be trained early so they can contribute and continue with research when they eventually graduate’’, Mrs. Lawson added.
She commended those who had taken out time to attend the memorial lecture.
In a keynote address with the theme ‘Effective Leadership and Partnership to end TB in Nigeria; Sustaining the Legacy,’’, the Executive Director, KNCV Foundation Dr. Gidado Mustapha challenged Nigerians on partnership and collaboration to improve innovation in all sectors.
Dr. Mustapha who solicited more funding, political commitment from political office holders, said appropriate coordination of available resources to end Tuberculosis and other ailments must be considered.
In an address the Vice-chancellor Bingham University, Professor William Qurix noted that professor Lawson had contributed immensely to researches, assisted to galvanise support from donors who supported research works.
On his part, the Nasarawa state deputy governor, Dr. Emmanuel Akabe observed that the contribution of the late professor had led to the establishment of TB Dots Centers in the state.
He said the state would strengthen health institutions by establishing and upgrading more Research Centres to fast-track detection and cure of killer diseases such as tuberculosis in the state.
