SPECIAL REPORT
By Obinna Chima, Kunle Aderinokun and Martins Ifijeh
Contrary to projections by some foreign think-makers who have now soiled the streets of Nigeria and indeed many parts of Africa, following attacks by the COVID-19 pandemic, Nigeria, like many African countries, has so far defied all expectations. and has controlled the pandemic well since the first index case recorded about 186 days ago in Lagos.
To aggravate the problems, the Italian index case had met two Nigerians in the states of Lagos and Ogun before falling and being examined by the virus.
The announcement plunged the country into panic the next morning, and many Nigerians feared the worst would happen. For them, it was transparent that Nigeria would be greatly affected by the poor state of its fitness sector and citizens’ attitudes towards fitness protocols.
In equity for most Nigerians, all they can see was the devastation, tears and sadness that COVID-19 left in many countries, adding China, Spain and Italy at the time. It seemed that the country would have no chance of handling the virus.
Years of forgetting in the fitness sector have begun to put the faces of Nigerians and foreign organizations, which have called for the fitness sector to be prioritized as a buffer against potential pandemics such as coronavirus.
But against all odds, some Nigerians and establishments have faced the challenge. They have hastily taken leadership roles to ensure that the country not only mitigates the effect of the epidemic, but also manages the community spread of the disease, which was obviously known in the country.
From the governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, to Ehanire, the Federation Secretary of Government, Mr. Boss Mustapha, the personal sector and other forward-thinking governors, an endless group of Nigerians has faced the challenge, and so far the country has controlled the virus well compared to the initial concepts that bodies filled the streets due to headaches.
The project aims to mobilize the leadership and resources of the personal sector so that fitness care facilities respond to the crisis, but also use their success to raise awareness of the pandemic.
The group, a combination of companies, philanthropists and donors, has provided thousands of beds to the states of Lagos, Kano, Rivers, Abuja, Enugu and Borno, among others, and has established testing and testing centers in some states.
The concept is to involve personal labs in controls to speed up the process. The ultimate purpose is to verify at least two million people, the group’s online page points out. The total donation to the CACOVID aid fund was more than $55.7 million as of April 6, with Dangote and the central bank donating $5.1 million each.
Other primary personal players such as Segun Agbaje (Guaranty Trust Bank), Jim Ovia (Zenith Bank), Herbert Wigwe (Access Bank), Tony Elumelu (United Bank for Africa), Abdulsamad Rabiu of BUA Group, Folorunsho Alakija of Famfa Oil Limited, Oba Otudeko (First Bank), Femi Otedola of Amperion Power, billionaire entrepreneur Mike Adenuga of Globacom and Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation contributed $2.59 million each. Nigeria’s National Petroleum Corporation and some oil corporations have pledged $30 million to Nigeria’s Centers for Disease Control for patient care, materials and medical equipment.
THISDAY celebrates these individuals and institutions who have dedicated themselves to selfless service to Nigerians and humanity.
Babajide Sanwo-Olu
Before the start of the pandemic in Lagos, few citizens think that the governor of the state of Lagos, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, is working hard enough to deal with the myriad of economic, infrastructure and human progress situations facing the inhabitants of Lagos.
For some, he was just a motivating speaker, who for nine months since his inauguration had failed to address some of the rudimentary governance problems he had said he would temporarily resolve once assumed. From the traffic jam in Apapa to the ruined roads and environmental challenges, the list is endless.
But the other people of Lagos saw the other side of the governor, when it became clear that the state affected by the PANdemic COVID-19, which at the time wreaked havoc in many countries, especially in densely populated villages such as Lagos, however, with a greater fitness system.
He accepted the challenge; had an update on the nature of the pandemic temporarily assumed the role of commander of the incident and was given to work. He deployed state resources to address gaps in fitness care and logistical challenges, made tough economic decisions when closing the state, initiated a large education of fitness workers, and advocated daily awareness campaigns to inform more than 23 million citizens about what will happen.
Sanwo-Olu saw the long term and made the decision to avoid it. From the logs of the few instances of COVID-19, the state began to see dozens and heaps of instances. In June, it peaked at which more than 400 cases showed that they were reported daily in the state. However, thanks to its control of the virus, the state has a marked trend of cases with the last 4 days recording 26, 17, 21 and 27. Many people, adding experts, now the bodies of ideas would saturate the streets of millions of people. infections, but 186 days after the outbreak began, the state still has fewer than 20,000 cases of infection.
Akin Abayomi
“I am happy to have Prof. Akin Abayomi as the Commissioner for Health at this point in our lives, when we are being threatened by the COVID-19 pandemic that has killed hundreds of thousands of people. As early as December 2019, he had told me this virus was coming, he suggested to me all that we needed to put in place to mitigate the impact.”
Abayomi, who is the deputy commander of the Lagos incident at COVID-19, played a leading role in defeating Ebola viral disease in 2014, and many virologists believed he had the sheer amount of delight to handle this state-existing pandemic. . It has recently tested positive for the virus and has been isolated since last week. They say he responds well to treatment.
Mustapha Pattern
When President Muhammadu Buhari established the presidential career organization at COVID-19 in March and appointed the federation government secretary (SGF), Boss Mustapha, president of the career organization, several fitness experts expressed fear that they had been granted the position. to an epidemiologist or, at best, a public fitness expert, who understood epidemics of the magnitude of COVID-19.
But five months later, SGF’s leadership capacity was a style for many countries that have also established a presidential organization that opposes the pandemic.
From the initial conviction that Nigeria would be heavily affected by the virus due to the country’s poor population and fitness system, Mustapha was able to lead the country through testing, information dissemination, disease management, among others. It is said COVID-19 in Nigeria, your call will be quoted mandatory.
Chikwe Ihekweazu
If Nigeria fails to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, one user who could be blamed without problems is the Director General of the National Center for Disease Control (NCDC), Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, because his company is the company Nigerians have for the prevention and control of the entire bureaucracy of disease outbreaks.
To be clear, just as the Nigerian military is guilty of protecting the country from wars and terrorism, NCDC Ihekweazu is guilty of the nation’s physical security.
But while many disease centers in many countries, besides the United States, Russia, Italy, Spain, Mexico, Brazil and many others, have done little to minimize coVID-19 cases in their countries, Nigeria has behaved relatively well so far.
Ihekweazu’s search for data, transparency and teamwork has demonstrated the acceptability of the medium even in different states of the country, an attitude that has helped manage instances across the country. He is one of the intellectual authors of the narrow victory against the Covid-19.
Osagie Ehanire
Prior to the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Federal Ministry of Health, led by Dr. Osagie Ehanire, had not gained much-needed care, a scenario that can be attributed in part to poor physical care.Lately he suffered through Nigerians in the country.But since the start of the pandemic, the minister has intensified his game, which provoked the department’s attention, that is, in the field of epidemics, with a primary on COVID-19.
Through his goodwill, influence and leadership, he was able to unite many political leaders, devotees and publicity to the fight opposed to COVID-19; a move that has ensured that the country has so far not lacked the comforts and appliances needed to manage the pandemic in the country.He also used his goodwill to pressure foreigners who opposed the pandemic.He is one of the heroes of COVID-19, for more than 185 days.
Nasir el-Rufai
The governor of Kaduna state, Nasir el-Rufai, was the first to infect the COVID-19 virus in the state, however, to ensure that it does not spread the state, it has instituted the longest blockade in the country.
While other states were tired of the blockade and opened up to the movement despite accumulation in some cases, el-Rufai insisted that it would not open the state economy until it was relatively to do so, an action he took at the expense of the economy.For him, it was first and foremost health. Thanks to his leadership, COVID-19 cases in the state have remained relatively low despite a large influx of basically inflamed kano almajiris.
Kayode Fayemi
The state of Ekiti, led by Governor Kayode Fayemi, was currently only for Lagos a few months ago in terms of response to the pandemic, a score that is based solely on intelligent leadership and the ability to lead through non-public examples.
Fayemi, who has just emerged from the infection, has only kept the numbers low through close monitoring, however, the provision of palliatives, which reached vulnerable people with cash, has also stood out under Covid-19 control.
As president of the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF), Fayemi also used her workplace to interact with her colleagues by comparing ratings and their percentage of people, also well representing the gap between them and the federal government.
Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi
Enugu is another state with incredibly low instances of Covid-19, courtesy of Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, because he understood what needed to happen and took no prisoners to prevent preventable outbreaks.
Like his colleague at Ekiti, Ugwuanyi personally implemented security protocols every day during the lockdown while moving from one post to another and from one workplace to another, ensuring that the spread of the virus on the network was well prevented.
Today, the result of this feat is evident in the state, which remains small in terms of the number of cases recorded, although it has refused to rest on its oars because he is not yet convinced that the war is over.
Ifeanyi Okowa
Perhaps it is by providence that the delta state is under the direction of a doctor, who did not want anyone to explain the imaginable weight of the pandemic effect if he were allowed to take a loose walk through the state. And from the beginning, Okowa established a competent operating organization overseen directly through it and was given to work.
Interestingly, too, supporters from other origins came here from Delta State, because the governor took credit for his contacts while donations from afar and closely continued to assist in the fight against Covid-19.
Today, Delta is one of the few states that can boast a controlled infection rate with the lowest numbers, because a man, who is the call of the game, is the governor and in the rate of follow-up of the situation.
The CACOVID team
Godwin Emefiele
The governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Godwin Emefiele, has earned his stripes as one of the heroes of the country’s efforts towards Covid-19.
According to CBN’s initial technique for economic problems, the first case of Covid-19 was recorded in Lagos without delay, the Emefiele-led CBN took decisive action and implemented a number of measures to moderate the effect of the virus on homes. businesses and economics.
In addition, Emefiele also played a decisive role in the formation of the Coalition led by the personal sector opposed to Covid-19 (Covid-19), which managed to mobilize billions of naira and supported immensely the fighting opposed to Covid-19 in the country through the creation of fitness. Facilities. country-wide as well as in the distribution of palliatives to states.
In terms of express interventions through CBN, as a component of efforts to cushion its effect on families and SMEs, the CBN promptly announced an extension of the moratorium on the umbrella bank’s intervention programmes, ingesting a targeted credit line of 50 billion domestic aid and credits to the fitness sector. ; introduces a 100 billion naira fitness intervention to help industry operators; a loan of 1 trillion naira was also made to stimulate local production and production in critical sectors; established a grant for the fitness sector to publicize studies on vaccine development, among other policy measures.
The status quo of the fitness sector has provided loans to pharmaceutical companies to expand or open their drug production plants in the country and also to hospitals and fitness professionals to expand or build fitness facilities.
As part of efforts to stimulate infrastructure progression across the country, CBN, in collaboration with tax authorities, has concluded a plan to create a 15 trillion nairas (Infraco) infrastructure progression company.
Herbert Wigwe
Herbert Wigwe is one of the heroes of the fight opposed to COVID-19 in Nigeria. He is a prominent member of CACOVID. As chairman of the country’s bank executive directors, he has also helped mobilize his banking colleagues to update the objectives of the personal sector coalition. CACOVID has supported public awareness of the pathogen, supported the fitness sector through the construction of medical carp, isolation and rehabilitation centers and offering palliatives to other vulnerable people across the country. Through its HOW Foundation, it has also supported vulnerable Nigerians whose livelihoods have been affected by the pandemic.
Jim Ovia
Tony Elumelu
Tony Elumelu, economist, entrepreneur and philanthropist is the hero of the opposed fight against COVID-19, he and his bank United Bank for Africa Plc, which he chairs, made a charitable donation for the fight against COVID-19. CACOVID, Elumelu, is the president of Heirs Holdings, the United Bank for Africa, Transcorp and founder of the Tony Elumelu Foundation. Through its founding, a philanthropic organization founded in Africa and funded through Africa, it has empowered thousands of budding traders across Africa. .
According to Agbaje
According to Agbaje, managing director of Guaranty Trust Bank (GTBank) is a hero in the fight opposite COVID-19, is an active member of CACOVID. The bank, which he runs, financed the creation of the isolation center in Onikan, Lagos, in collaboration with the Lagos state government. Agbaje his career at Ernst
Aliko Dangote
The president of the Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, played a leading role in the match opposite coVID-19 in the country. He is a prominent member of CACOVID. In addition, through its Dangote Foundation, it has ensured that the federal government’s efforts in the fight against COVID-19 obtain technical, consistent, conditional and monetary support. In addition, the Aliko Dangote Foundation has partnered with 54Gene, a molecular diagnostics company that specializes in studies and diagnostics, to establish a laboratory with a capacity of 400 tests consistent with the day in Kano state. The Foundation has also supported immediate reaction groups in their paintings to identify suspected cases of COVID-19 in Kano gyms and has provided capacity building platforms for fitness staff in Kano.
Abdul Samad Rabiu
To the national reaction to COVID-19, an industrialist and founder of the BUA Group, Abdul Samad Rabiu has so far donated nearly 7 billion naira to help the fight opposite the charge. He only transported devices to Nigeria to help Lagos, Edo, Kano, Kwara, Sokoto, Akwa-Ibom, Abia, Rivers and Adamawa.
In one of the donations, he said, “This donation will not only provide the additional budget needed through the government and ncNCDC efforts, but will also serve the physical care staff and the staff’s medical staff on the front line of the pandemic.” More recently, he donated 3 new emergency reaction ambulances to delta state government.
Raj Gupta
Raj Gupta, a member of THE CACOVID funding committee, is the chairman of African Industries, commonly known as African Steel. African Steel is engaged in metal machining and processing in Nigeria. The African Steel Group, a diversified Nigerian organization focused on the progression of the country’s metal industry, recently operates in 8 other locations in the country and exports its products basically to other West African countries.
John Coumantaros
John Coumantaros is the president of Flour Mills of Nigeria. Coumantaros, a member of CACOVID’s fundraising committee, is a hero in the fight opposite COVID-19. Born in 1961, he is the son of George S. Coumantaros, who founded FMN in 1960. Coumantaros holds a bachelor’s degree in history from Yale University.
To mitigate the looming threat, Dr. Johnson, an experienced interventional cardiologist trained in the United States, installed exclusive extensive care suites for COVID-19 patients at this world-class hospital. Through this initiative, his hospital has become the first personal fitness center facility in Nigeria to admit and treat COVID-19 patients with the permission of the federal and Lagos state governments.
In late March, some Nigerians whose COVID-19 instances had been confused due to their underlying ailments began to seek solace with the first cardiology consultant, many of whom had now met with their families after being effectively treated. help the country reduce the COVID-19 mortality rate.
Dr. Yemi Onabowale
Dr. Yemi Onabowale, CEO of Reddington Hospital Group, is the brains of the Armored Medical Complex and Reddington Zainelab, two world-class services for COVID-19 testing and disease management.
The dual facility, according to Lagos Health Commissioner Abayomi, is the only fitness facility to date that has achieved a score of one hundred percent at the end of the accreditation inspection, adding that each device and protocol in the facility met all established needs. through the State Government.
Many fitness professionals who offered at launch were surprised by the Commissioner’s claim, mainly because the initiative’s pioneer, Onabowale, has demonstrated over the years a penchant for precision, professionalism and the provision of world-class fitness care.
Dual installation is the first personal fitness facility in Nigeria to offer detection and treatment of coronavirus cases. They are also the first to provide COVID-19 verification effects within 24 hours of sampling. Other establishments provide effects within two to ten days.
Onabowale, the business and medical mogul who prefers to paint behind the scenes, has promised that the coVID-19 facility will help the federal and state governments of Lagos mitigate the effect of COVID-19 among Nigerians.The history of the COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria cannot be written without Onabowale playing a leading role as a hero.
Geoffrey Onyema
If there is a type whose task description has been duplicated since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic; and especially since the closure of Nigeria’s airspace on 23 March, he has been foreign minister, Chief Godfrey Onyema.In one respite, he had to look for Nigerians under lock and key abroad, in another he plans how to take home stranded Nigerians who had been affected by brutal foreign restrictions in the countries where they were at the time.Together with the chairman and chief executive of the Nigerian Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri has been successful in either task.
While performing his duties, Onyema contracted COVID-19, a progression that caused him to take a 14-day break from painting to treat his health. Of the 186 days since Nigeria registered its first case of COVID-19, those 14 days would possibly be the only days in itself compared to another 172 days faithful to Nigeria and diplomatic issues.
Dr. Sani Aliyu
Unsurprisingly, President Muhammadu Buhari has appointed Dr. Sani Aliyu as national coordinator of the Presidential Working Group on COVID-19. As outgoing Director-General of the National AIDS Agency (NACA), he defended interventions that led to drastic relief from HIV/AIDS in Nigeria, moving the country from the world’s highest burden of the moment to fourth, just after South Africa, India and Mozambique. .
His experience as an expert in infectious diseases has also been used in the fight against COVID-19. He worked around the clock for the country to oversee and propose answers on how to reduce numbers, a task he did well as NACA’s CEO when he was director of the agency.
Hadi Sirika
Two of the many decisions that have kept COVID-19 instances in Nigeria relatively low are the timely closure of foreign airspace through the federal government and the insistence on following this to the letter.
As Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, he had one of the most complicated jobs with the warmth of the pandemic; that it intended to ensure that statements on air travel restrictions were complied with to the letter; a failure would have resulted in several thousand additional coVID-19 cases of others entering the country. Airlines that tried to circumvent those regulations received their hammer. At the expense of the country’s income, the ability of Nigerians has been a priority.
He was one of the top government officials vilified on Twitter for refusing to convince the federal government to open flights abroad. But only at the right time, and after the progression of health/travel protocols, announced the opening of foreign airspace until September 5.
Dr. Abasi Ene-Obong
At the beginning of the pandemic, one of Nigeria’s apparent shortcomings was its lack of capacity to conduct a large number of COVID-19 tests; a scenario that is largely hampering the fight opposed to the pandemic.
To solve this problem, 54gene, an African genomics start-up with offices in Lagos and Washington DC, made the decision to release a check fund to increase the budget to expand the checks to 1000 per day. He first donated $150,000 and then received 350,000 naira from other partners, adding the Union Bank. Dr. Abasi Ene-Obong, who is the intellectual author of the initiative, is the ceo of 54gene.
Today, Nigeria’s testing capacity has improved, thanks to Ene-Obong, whose generation of 54 genes is now felt in the country. It has also helped in several other capacities to address the demanding situations facing the Nigerian government in the fight against the epidemic.
Tope Shonubi
Tope Shonubi is the CEO of the Sahara Group. He was one of the first Nigerians to meet the challenge posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. He donated billions of naira medical devices to the federal government, as well as several other public fitness facilities to help fight the pandemic. He also donated devices to THISDAY Dome in Abuja for the effective remedy of COVID-19 patients. The history of Nigeria’s COVID-19 will not be complete without its role in the fight against the pandemic.
THIS DAY Dome
Although THISDAY is mandated to report news about Nigeria and beyond, it has done its best to combat COVID-19 by donating one of its amenities in Abuja, the THISDAY Dome, to the federal government as a testing and isolation center. . ; one of the largest processing services in the country.
The 300-bed facility can accommodate another two hundred beds. The story of Nigeria’s fight against COVID-19 is written without mention of THISDAY