The COVID-19 pandemic has created unprecedented disruptions to health and the global economy.Like other countries, Nigeria is trying to minimize the spread of the disease and a low mortality rate, as the eradication of the virus remains difficult to achieve, says PATIENCE IVIE IHEJIRIKA.
Winning the war on the COVID-19 pandemic remains a global aspiration as countries around the world fight for a cure or vaccine for deadly diseases.Nigeria is no exception in this struggle, especially since the disease will remain for a long time.
COVID-19, which was imported into Nigeria through an Italian, did not cause much concern among handicapped Nigerians and those living in communities in the first place, as past cases were only attributed to travelers returning from high-risk countries and their contacts.
However, existing progress has shown that the country now faces network transmission, which has been known in 549 of the country’s 774 local governments and part of all instances concentrated in 20 LGAs.
To this end, the federal government, through the Presidential Working Group (TFP) on COVID-19 with the Federal Ministry of Health, has instituted a number of measures to curb the spread of the disease and the suitability of Nigerians.
These measures come with a first closure of non-essential activities, closure of schools, prohibition of flights abroad, etc.
The Nigerian Center for Disease Control (NCDC) also issued rules and under pressure wanting to comply with non-pharmaceutical measures, making it the cheapest option in the absence of a vaccine.
Meanwhile, according to the Federal Ministry of Health, the total number of positive COVID-19 cases recorded in July 17457, of a total of 154454 samples analysed, with a positivity rate of 11.3% compared to June 2020.19,149 positive cases of a total of 111,052 samples analysed with a positivity rate of 17.2%.
This indicates that tests have exceeded more than 40,000 in a month and that the number of instances has been reduced to more than 2,000.
However, Nigerians have been advised not to interpret the recent decline as a flattening of the COVID-19 curve in the country, and to continue to adhere to public protection and aptitude measures despite the recent decline.
NCDC explained that relief in the number of new infections may simply be the result of a minimisation in the number of samples collected across the country, and said this was not an indication that Nigeria had begun to flatten the curve.
NCDC Director-General Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu further explained that the decline in new cases resulted in the end of the pandemic.
“We had a minimisation of the number of samples collected in the states between July 31 and August 2,” he said.This would possibly be related to the public holiday that has generated relief in activities across the country.
“It’s still too early to interpret a fall again as a flattening of the curve.
“We are learning from countries in Europe and other parts of the world that a fall in new cases means the end of the pandemic.In most of these countries, they are experiencing an increase in some cases.”
Stressing the desire to stay focused, the Health Minister warned that the federal government is seeking to reduce the number of deaths consistent with the case to less than 1 cent of the existing 2 consistent with the penny.
He added that the ministry and other applicable organizations are implementing state-of-the-art interventions with customers on survival opportunities, especially for the elderly and those with comorities.
Highlighting some of the plans and efforts to reduce the number of deaths, the Minister noted that the ministry established at least one pattern collection site in each area of local government, with effective pattern recovery logistics to deliver patterns to laboratories.
“We will work with state governments to prepare the area and human resources needed in general hospitals or APS, to receive training in the installation of at least one pattern collection site at LGA in a timely manner, for patients with significant clinical symptoms, they are also making plans to designate waiting rooms in general hospitals.Arrangements with oxygen installations, such as oxygen concentrators or oxygen cylinders.
“Some investments will be needed in this strategy, known in the state of Lagos as oxygen kiosks, but the gain, in lives saved, will be significant.All this would possibly seem ambitious, but we have to face the stark truth that COVID-19 will also spread to small towns and rural areas, and thus begin to prepare structures for the challenge,” he said.
According to Ehanire, more than 70% of all COVID-19 tests conducted in the country were conducted in states, and 25% of the tests in lagos state alone.
The states come with Lagos, Kano, FCT, Plateau, Oyo, Kaduna, Edo, Ogun and Rivers.
However, he expressed the department’s commitment to working with state governments to accelerate case searches and pattern activities.
On fitness staff, Ehanire said: “We are involved in the resurgence of infections among fitness staff.For the progress we have made in reducing the infection rate among our fitness staff, we have trained and recycled fitness personnel in infection prevention and control.
“In the state of Abia, we have completed the education of 594 members of the physical conditioning staff of the public and personal services about infection prevention and control.Lately we are investigating an infection related to fitness care in a gym in Kaduna state.Lessons learned will be used to provide delivery service.
“I inspire our fitness staff not to give up their guards because the pandemic is with us.Use your PPE appropriately and wisely.We have ensured that PPE is to be had in all of our fitness facilities.»
Finding a local cure for COVID-19, the Director General of the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD), Dr. Obi Adigwe, said: “We have a product that is very promising.We conclude the approval procedure through preclinical studies.Where we are now, we’re looking to prepare you for the clinical trial and that’s a lot of work.
“We’re going in a complex direction. We hope the product will help.If everything goes well and we get the investment we need, in the next six months we can have something categorical inside.”
© 2020 Leadership Journal