COVID-19 IN NIGERIA - IT IS REAL
Professor Rotimi Jaiyesimi
Group Associate Medical Director for Patient Safety at Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust, Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, Medicolegal Expert, Health Systems, Global Health Expert
The first case of the coronavirus (Covid-19) infection in Nigeria was reported on 28 February 2020. The number has risen to 981 as at 23 April 2020 and still rising The number of reported deaths is 31. Our sympathy goes out to the families and friends on the loss of their loved ones.
The government has put in place measures to contain the disease, but the difficulties with compliance is the dependence of citizens having to toil through their really small businesses to feed their families. The lock down and social distancing become difficult interventions.
This pandemic exposes the poor social and healthcare structure, a result of the corrupt political system that goes back many decades. Perhaps the effect of this pandemic on citizens of all social class will be a tuning point for improvement across all sectors of the Nigerian society.
There are still honourable men and women in Nigeria and the Federal Ministry of Health, Nigerian Centre for Disease Control and Governments of Lagos, Ogun, Ekiti and Oyo States must be commended for work done in spite of the limited resources. More nationwide testing is required and provision of care for the 20% of cases who require hospitalisation.
As individuals, we all have important roles to play in containing the spread of this disease by coughing/ sneezindg int tissue and binning the tissue, social distancing, hand hygiene, wearing masks (still debatable), staying at home unless essential among other measures advised by the relevant health authorities.
COVID-19 is here and real
Stay at Home - Stay safe - Each Nigerian Lice is Priceless
Photo & Data Credit - NCDC
4 views
Recent Posts
Combating the Covid-19 pandemic in Nigeria
7
The Nigerian Media needs to step up in the fight against Covid-19 pandemic
The news headline about this Easter weekend released to Nigerians by the Ministry of Interior was the declaration of these days as public holidays. Do Nigerians need to be informed of what is constan
6
COVID-19: Nigerians and Nigeria need to do more
11
Log in to leave a comment.