Despite assurances from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), the Senate yesterday rejected the preventive measures being taken against the dreaded coronavirus (COVID-19) by the agency, describing them as poor.
The Chief Executive Officer and Director General of NCDC, Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, yesterday said that the Federal Government was seriously concerned and prepared to contain the virus because with the country’s large population, an outbreak would have global health security implications.
The epidemiologist also said that Nigeria was one of the first countries to recognise the risk and started planning the response for COVID-19, and the Federal Government had provided funds which would be used to rapidly scale up capacity at identified treatment centres. He also said that four laboratories in Nigeria could diagnose COVID-19 with six hours turnaround time.
When asked what the NCDC was doing about the suspected case at a Lagos hospital, They said “There is nothing to do. He was negative. All the furore in the media is completely pointless.”On whether the country has suspected cases, the NCDC boss said: “As at February 26, 2020, five suspected cases had been tested in Nigeria. All the cases were negative for COVID-19.
“Currently, four laboratories in Nigeria can test for COVID-19. In addition to the NCDC National Reference Laboratory in Abuja, this capacity has been developed at the Virology Laboratory of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital; Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital and African Centre for Genomics of Infectious Diseases in Ede, Osun State.
“The laboratories to diagnose COVID-19 in Nigeria have the required equipment, reagents and human resource to test cases with six hours turnaround time. We have also instituted a sample transportation network to ensure samples are transported from state capitals to the testing laboratories. This transportation network has been used during outbreaks of Lassa fever, yellow fever and monkey pox and we have continued to improve on this.”
But the Senate alleged that the Federal Ministry of Health and other relevant agencies were taking things for granted, warning that Nigeria could not afford to be caught unawares before waking up to take the right preventive steps.Adopting a motion sponsored by the Deputy Senate Leader, Ajayi Boroface, the upper legislative chamber charged its committee on health to put pressure on the health ministry and other related agencies to ensure that the right thing is done.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Post your comment with your name and number