The federal government has expressed concern over what it described as the rapid spread of the Novel Coronavirus across the world, in addition to the recent declaration of the disease by WHO as a public health emergency, and resolved to scale up interventions to prevent it’s importation into Nigeria.
Osagie Ehinare, the Minister of health speaking at a Coronavirus Interministerial/Multisectoral Preparedness and response meeting which had major stakeholders across the country in attendance on Friday in Abuja, said the number of confirmed cases as at Friday, 31st December stood at 9700 in China and 100 across the world while the death toll has claimed to 213.
Ehanire said though no case has been confirmed in Africa, a full potential for the importation of the disease into the continent exists, even as the suspected case in Kenya is yet to be confirmed.
“This diseases has spread rapidly around the world since the 31st December 2019, without its intervention, it will spread to communities and overwhelm health care facilities across the country. This gives us reason for concern”, the Minister said.
The minister said as part of government’s initial response, ports of health authorities are implementing response measures. He said NCDC has activated a Coronavirus preparedness group is working with WHO and other partners to establish testing capacity at NCDC reference laboratories.
Ehanire however said as a further step to ensure collaborative, inclusive and coordinated response, the ministry of health called for this Interministerial meeting to review natational strategies and plans and assign roles and responsibilities . He said after the meeting, an action plan will be done.
He adeed that the ministry is finalizing with Enugu, Lagos, Kano, rivers and FCT which hosts the nation’s international points of entry to enhance surveillance, preparedness and response activities in their states.
The minister therefore called on Nigerians to be calm and assured that government has the capacity to detect, acess and respond to Coronavirus and other public public health at points of entry.
“I assure all Nigerians that the government of Nigeria is strongly committed to strengthening preparedness in the event of a Coronavirus”, he said.
The Permanent Secretary federal ministry of health, Abdulaziz Mashi, stressed the nees for collaboration, team work, political wiill, proper interventions to prevent importation of the virus.
He expressed confidence that Nigeria can tackle the disease as it did the Ebola Virus in 2014 if resources are adequately deloyed.
“There is a raging war in the global landscape and so we must plan.This meeting underscores the need for collaboration from government and private sector to ensure that the importation of the diseases doses not occur and if it does, we should be ready to mitigate the disaster”, Mashi said.
The meeting had in attendance, the ministers of health, information and culture, the permanent secretary, ministry of health, the United States CDC, NCDC, commissioners of health from states the five states which hosts international airports, Port Authorities among others.
Godsgift Onyedinefu, Abuja
