Abba Kyari’s death: Covid-19 is real, no one is exempted-NMA

Following the death of the Chief Staff to the President, Malam Abba Kyari, health and religious officials have warned Nigerians against exhibiting lukewarm attitude to preventive measures against the COVID-19 pandemic.

They made the remarks in separate interviews in Jos on Saturday.

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Dr Titus Dajel, Chairman, Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Plateau Chapter, said the death of Kyari had made it obvious to everybody that the disease was real and not a respecter of social status.

Describing the death of Kyari as unfortunate, Dajel said his demise should reawaken Nigerians who believed in conspiracy theories on COVID-19.

“There are people who have a lot of conspiracy theories about COVID-19; people believe it is related to electromagnetic waves and all those thoughts, but the point is that it is real.

“It is an infectious and viral disease that does not have cure, everything done in the hospital is only symptomatic treatment.

“People should know that nobody is exempted or spared by the pandemic; it has started from the top and it is affecting each and every person.

“We are at the level of community transfer, so even the poor of the poorest in the village can get infected,” he said.

The chairman urged policymakers to take the pandemic as a clarion call to discourage medical tourism.

According to him, the health sector should be strengthened by increasing its budgetary allocation to equip public health facilities to handle pandemic such as COVID-19.

Similarly, Mrs Mercy Lenka, Chairperson, National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), Jos University Teaching Hospital Chapter, said Kyari’s death should convince those having any form of doubt about COVID-19.

Lenka, however, cautioned Nigerians to be responsible citizens by adhering to preventive measures and directives issued by the government to forestall the spread of the pandemic.

According to her, Nigerians should assume that the disease is in every state to conscientise them from taking the pandemic for granted.

Meanwhile, Mrs Muhibba Abdulrazak, Leader, Federation Of Muslim Women Association in Nigeria, Plateau Chapter, condoled with the family of the deceased, President Muhammadu Buhari and Nigerians over the death of Kyari.

Abdulrazak prayed God to grant him eternal rest.

She appealed to religious leaders to teach their followers supplications which could be recited in situations such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

She also urged them to obey constituted authorities, especially by adhering to the preventive measures recommended by health and government officials.

Abba Kyari, who became the CoS in 2015, died on Friday following complications from COVID-19.

(NAN)