COVID-19: FG partners AU on continental response

.Says invitation of Chinese experts not to spite Nigerian medical professionals

.Urges NMA to see the invitation as an extension of development

The Federal Government has said that a Joint Continental Strategy between Nigeria and the African Union (AU) for COVID-19 response has been developed to curtain the spread of the disease in the country.

According to the Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Enahire, already, an African Task Force on Coronavirus (AFCOR) has been set up to coordinate preparedness and response efforts in the continent.

Speaking during the presidential task force briefing on COVID-19 in Abuja on Monday, Dr. Enahire described the collaboration as a right step in the right direction as it would assist in curtailing the spread of the virus.

COVID-19: Olam to support Govt, NCDC with food, medical relief

He reaffirmed the invitation of Chinese experts to Nigeria, saying an 18-man team of experts is expected to arrive Nigeria in a few days with a consignment of globally scarce medical supplies, to augment government efforts as well as build capacity to contain the COVID-19 outbreak.

He listed the donations to include “PPEs, medical consumables, over 1 million surgical masks for health workers and even ICU ventilators, valued at over $100,000, all sourced in the face of global scarcity of these items”.

In addition, the minister said that the Chinese medical experts, comprising doctors, nurses, laboratory technicians and public health managers will share their knowledge, skills and real-life experience of fighting Covid-19 with Nigerian personnel.

This, according to him, would strengthen the management of COVID-19 cases, especially with regard to critical care.

He said: “The much needed PPEs and masks will protect our frontline workers and mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in the line of duty.

“We have a window of opportunity to strengthen our own response mechanism through lessons learned from any country that has had the experience and can provide hands-on demonstration of dealing with the outbreak and give the Nigerian clinical workforce the opportunity to share global best practices.

Ehanire added that two additional laboratories for COVID-19 testing have been activated at the Defence Reference Laboratory, FCT and Biosafety Level-3 Laboratory Lagos.

Earlier, Secretary to the Government of the Federation/Chairman, Presidential Taskforce on COVID-19, Boss Mustapha, appealed to medical practitioners in the country to see the invitation of Chinese experts as an extension of development in the field of medicine.

He said that the government was in no way undermining health professionals, who according to him, have been at the forefront since the outbreak of the disease.

“The professionals that have been invited from China are public health specialists and medical engineers that will support Nigeria’s capacity in managing the pandemic on advisory basis when necessary, while drawing from the experience of the Chinese. 

“In no way shall there be case management and interface with patients. 

“They will train our manpower, advice on procedures and methods, install and test the equipment donated before handling them over. 

“I therefore use this medium to appeal to our medical professionals to see the positive aspects of this gesture as an extension of development in the field of medicine. 

“The PTF recognises and respects the competence and capability of Nigerian Doctors and other medical personnel.

“This is a state of war against the coronavirus and time should not be devoted to unhelpful controversies,” the SGF stated.

On his part, Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, debunked the news making the round in some quarters that the Federal Government has disbursed about N100 billion to poor Nigerians and vulnerable persons affected by the lockdown all over the country.

Mohammed described the news as fake, misleading and a deliberate attempt to mislead the general public.

He cautioned Nigerians to beware of fake news especially at this critical time the world is battling to find a lasting solution to the COVID-19 pandemic.

He urged members of the public to disregard the news in its entirety.