Communique@ITRealms:
PREAMBLE
The Association of
Catholic Medical Practitioners of Nigeria (ACMPN) held its 12th scientific
conference and annual general meeting with the theme Genetically-Modified
Organisms: How Harmful, Harmless or Beneficial? It took place at the
Catholic Institute of West Africa (CIWA), Port Harcourt from 6th to 8th July,
2017. A total of 77 participants from 16 states and the Federal
Capital Territory as well as 14 dioceses attended the events.
The pre-conference
retreat and daily Holy Masses were celebrated by the national chaplain of the
Association (Rev. Fr. Dr. Emmanuel Anagor). We received a goodwill message from
Dr. John Lee - president of the International Federation of Catholic Medical
Associations (FIAMC), headquartered at the Vatican.
The conference addressed
the issues of genetically-modified organisms (foods) and their
introduction in Nigeria from various perspectives. The keynote address (Let
Us Exercise Caution in Trying to be Masters of the Earth) was presented by
the Bishop of the Catholic diocese of Port Harcourt, His Lordship, Most Rev.
Dr. Camillus Etokudoh, represented by Very Rev. Monsignor Dr. Pius Kii.
Other dignitaries that
addressed our conference were:
· Dr. Rose Gidado (Nigeria chapter coordinator of Open Forum on
Agricultural Biotechnology) – Family and national food security
ramifications of GMOs;
· Dr. Bassey Nnimmo - GMOs and biosafety;
· Dr. Rufus Ebegba (Director-General, National Biotechnology
Development Agency) (represented) – Biosafety and the regulation of
GMOs in developing countries;
· Prof. Best Ordinioha – The medical and health
implications of GMOs;
· Prof. Victor Wakwe - Ethical perspectives on the
introduction of GMOs in developing countries;
· Dr Kinsley Douglas – Retooling the community-based
strategies to improve family health in Nigeria;
· Dr. A. Fajola – How best to involve medical doctors in
health insurance to achieve universal health coverage; and
· Dr. Emmanuel Okechuwu – Bioethical approach to
infertility management and introduction to NaProTechnology (Natural Procreative
Technology).
A society is measured
by how well it cares for its vulnerable members particularly women, children,
disabled and the aged. The deaths and destructions currently being endured by
Nigerians in different parts of the country are unacceptable, and we urged the
government to step up efforts in order to reassure citizens of its capacity to
protect lives and properties. Because when a farmer is killed or people are
kidnapped or murdered or maimed, or school children are molested, families and
the nation suffer irreparably.
Observations
The following salient
points featured in the various presentations, discussions and interventions.
1. Food and adequate
nutrition are among the basic needs of people; and so the case for improved
methods of food production and distribution is legitimate and noble. However,
the application of a technology without adequate assurance of safety is
immoral.
2. Specifically,
strict control is necessary in the introduction and deployment of new
technologies in such area as the manipulation of genetic materials across
species, the effects of which we may not predict or mitigate. For example, it
took the global community about two centuries to recognize the grave harm which
the on-going industrial/technological developments have brought to the
environment and human health (depletion of ozone layer, global warming,
flooding, skin cancers, etc.).
3. We commended the
efforts by the government in establishing the GMO regulatory and development
agencies. However, it would appear that both funding and technical capacity
render them ill-equipped to effectively and efficiently carry out their
essentially patriotic roles. In the current scenario, the processes of regulating
GMOs are skewed in favour of the international promoters and merchants of GMOs
who wield strong financial influences. Thus, without substantially exploiting
the existing safe and natural technologies neither of agricultural advancements
nor of our vast land and water resources (including the new pro-biotic
microbial technology), dabbling into the controversial GMO technology is
overtly precarious.
4. We endorsed the
position of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria expressed at the
sensitization workshop on faith-based perspectives on GMOs which was co-hosted
by the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria on February 7, 2017 in Abuja, to the
effect that in order to protect the health of Nigerians and the integrity of
our agricultural landscape as well as national food security, the Precautionary
Principle should be applied; and
5. Further, we aligned
with the position of eminent Nigerian Christian and Muslim scholars convoked by
the Nigerian Inter-Religious Committee (NIREC) which in 2016 evaluated some 250
documented evidences and interacted with the Nigerian GMO regulatory and
development agencies on the issues of GMO safety. The committee concluded that
there are illegal GMOs already circulating in the country as foods, which are
unknown to, and unregulated by the designated agencies. Also, other illegal and
unverified GMO crops are in dissemination within the country’s agricultural
map. This situation is highly deplored as it portends grave dangers to family
health and national food security.
Recommendations 3:
1. The conference
called on the government to re-commit to working for all Nigerians; and to
truly develop a national consciousness on shared values. To lead Nigerians to
possess, take ownership and protect this nation morally, socially, politically,
and economically in a truly independent and progressive manner. The protection
of lives of everyone, including the unborn Nigerians is a sacred duty for all,
especially those in authority.
2. The government to
adequately train the personnel, equip and fund the national agencies mandated
to protect the health and lives of citizens, the environment and our natural
resources. In this way, these agencies will not become mere facilitators and local
proxy organizations for global businesses and so-called development partners
whose underlying targets may be inimical to the strategic interests of Nigeria
and her peoples.
3. We advocated for
government to legislate and strictly regulate and monitor the introduction of
GMOs in the country including express labelling of the products.
4. There should be
adequate funding for research and development by the GMO regulatory agencies so
that Nigeria can derive any benefits from the GMO technology. But more importantly,
to protect our people and environment from the many possible dangers thereto:
decreasing food productivity, food gene extermination, corruption of soil
ecology, food insecurity and biological imperialism as well as various health
hazards on human beings, the environment, animals and plants.
5. The conference
called on Catholic doctors to engage in health insurance and especially
community-based health insurance to help citizens access health care, and for
Nigeria to achieve universal health coverage and, so improve its currently
unacceptably low indices. It also called on all doctors of goodwill to adopt
healthier, ethically and culturally adequate approaches in their maternal,
child and family health care, rather than the values of the “culture of death”.
6. The Association of
Catholic Medical Practitioners of Nigeria re-committed itself to promote the
sanctity of human life, marriage between a man and a woman, natural family
planning and NaProTechnology in pursuit of family health and national development.
Conclusion
We thanked God for a
successful scientific conference and annual general meeting.
Signed:
Dr. Emmanuel Okechukwu and Dr. Margaret Mezie-Okoye President Chairman, LOC for
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