COVID-19 hits 586 LGAs

Community transmission of coronavirus has reached 586 out of 774 local government areas (LGAs) of the country, the Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire, said yesterday.

The minister spoke at the end of the 11th virtual federal cabinet meeting chaired by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Council chambers of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

• Coronavirus is still infecting humans and economies
• Nigerians’carefree attitude causing spread of coronavirus — Expert

In view of that development, Ehanire said the Federal Executive Council (FEC) approved the sum of N8.49bn for the purchase of 12 items in various quantities by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) to boost COVID-19 testing capacities and diagnostic capabilities nationwide.

The minister, who addressed State House reporters in company of the Ministers of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed and Environment, Muhammad Mahmood, said efforts were being made to have one sample collection centre in each of the 774 LGAs in the country.

As at the 11th of August 2020, Nigeria had recorded 47, 290 confirmed cases of COVID-19, 33,609 cases have been discharged while 956 deaths have been recorded in 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, according to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).

The country has also so far tested 338, 084 samples out of its 200 million population.

Ehanire said: “a memo was presented on behalf of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).

“This memo is as a result of a special intervention fund for COVID-19, which is operated by the Presidential Task Force (PTF), and allocates these resources for NCDC preparedness.

“So, we are procuring testing materials right from sample materials to other kits in our laboratories systems to be able to respond properly to the community transmission phase.

“We have already made plans to have at least one sample collection centre in every local government, minimum of 774 and these resources will be necessary to go around the 774 local government areas, to ensure that persons in rural areas and small towns are not excluded and to ensure that not only the big cities are being attended to.

“The cost is N8.49bn to procure the items that are involved. There are a total of 12 items, the quantities involved are large numbers, which will be sent out later.”

A health expert who spoke to Daily Trust last night blamed community transmission on citizens’ non-compliance to COVID-19 safety measures.

Also yesterday, health workers told the government that as it works to tackle the spread of the coronavirus, it should address the issue of their welfare or risk strike.

Ehanire, while reacting to a question on why the PTF introduced PCR (polymerase chain reaction) tests instead of rapid diagnostic tests that require test kits and produce results in minutes, said: “It is not that nobody is thinking of rapid diagnostic tests. It is being used all over the world even in Nigeria today.

“But the World Health Organisation (WHO) and other experts have said that this test is not very reliable in that it also delivered a significant number of false positive or false negative results.

“So, if you go to a place where a percentage of test results are wrong, then you have to be careful. Whereas the PCR test, that is the polymerase chain reaction test is accurate and reliable.

“So, if you want to know how accurate a person’s result is, that is the test you ought to do.

“Now, science is never certain, there are many ways and avenues by which the quality of the rapid test is still being improved. And as I speak to you, the Medical Laboratory Science of Nigeria, which is responsible for validating this test, which tells us whether they are reliable or not, whether we should use it or not, are validating about five of such tests now and they will give us their result to say whether it is reliable enough or not reliable enough.

‘‘There is the antibody rapid test and the anti-gem rapid test. So, I believe that within a matter of weeks and months, there will be one that will be accurate enough for us to rely on.

COVID-19 guidelines violation

Ehanire, while reacting to the violation of COVID-19 protocols by political parties in Edo State, said: “There is something the law says; the law says you must hold elections at a certain time and then watch what the need of health has brought forward.

“Nobody was anticipating that COVID-19 will pop up and the dilemma INEC and the ministry of health face now is not peculiar to Nigeria alone, there are many other countries that are facing that kind of problem.

“Just a few days ago, Belarus held a presidential election because their constitution gives them a deadline within which it must be held. Other countries have held elections, some have deferred elections depending on how each country assesses its own risk.

“There are some states that do not have that heavy infection rate and others have high infection rates.

“So, you have to weigh the benefits. If you can manage the risk, the risk of opening the markets, the borders, going to churches, mosques – there is a lot of risk communications we are dealing with.

“But there are things that need not be, for example, a football match where people can crowd in the stadium, you can say this one can wait, it is not compulsory.

“In churches, where it is more organised, if it cannot be, then you pray at home. For the market, we gave advisory, make sure you put on a mask, and ensure it is arranged in a way that you can control the crowd.

“The same advisory is given to politics. And in some areas, it is difficult like in cases of funerals. We gave the number of people who can attend or even a marriage.

“So, the same advisory is given to all political parties and organisers and we are hoping that they comply. But it is also difficult going by observation for people who are under emotions to actually follow the guidelines and scenes’’.

‘Social distancing must continue’

The Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, in his contribution, said: “As a matter of fact, this matter came up at the last PTF briefing, and the coordinator said that we will continue to advise social distancing in whatever gathering.

“It has been proven that wearing a mask saves many lives and we will continue to harp on it that people should take personal responsibility.

“We are deepening our conversation with sub-nationals, governors and local government chairmen because everybody must take personal responsibility.

“So, our guidelines remain the same – wear a mask, avoid mass gatherings, keep social distancing, maintain very good hygiene, wash your hands, use hand sanitisers.

“Because, as at today, there is no known vaccine or medicine to cure COVID-19. If everybody says wearing a mask is inconvenient, let him try a ventilator, you will know.

“We all are opinion moulders and people take to what we say, it’s not about those that went to campaign in Edo or those who went to bury Buruji Kashamu.  I think we all should take personal responsibility.”

COVID-19 will spread to remaining 194 LGs — Health expert

Prof Oyewole Tomori, a renowned virologist said the COVID-19 pandemic would sweep through the remaining 194 local government areas, infect more people and go round the country if  people continue to doubt the existence of the virus  and refuse to comply with the non-pharmaceutical interventions instituted.

He said the government did all it could but failed because, “we the people have refused to comply with prevention guidelines; wash your hand, wear a mask and observe social distancing.”

Dr Casmir Ifeanyi, a public health expert and medical laboratory scientist said the approval of the money was commendable as resources were needed to adequately respond to health, especially during pandemics like COVID-19.

Casmir, who is also the national publicity secretary of the Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria (ALMSN) however said the country’s health system and response to COVID-19  would be a lot better if the resources were channelled to the right places.

He said the NCDC by its mandate was not for health service provision but to promote and facilitate compliance with international regulations, adding that in the light of this, money for health service provision should be ploughed into tertiary health institutions and other health facilities.

Health workers threaten strike over welfare

As the COVID-19 spreads to local governments, health workers have warned the government to avoid any action that will cause them to embark on strike.

The workers under the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria, (MHWUN) urged the minister of health to urgently correct the error made during the payment of COVID-19 hazard allowance.

The President of the union, Comrade Biobelemoye Joy Josiah made the appeal during an award Investiture by the Ethics Resource Centre Nigeria.

Josiah noted that since the ministry accepted that there was an error, “the ideal thing is to address it without delay so as not to push the workers into an avoidable industrial action.”

He said: “People who are earning N5, 000 that ought to have been prepared on 50 percent were given 10 percent. Well, in our traditional way, we didn’t immediately rush on to strike, we engaged the government and they have seen that reason.

“We are believing and hoping that before they pay the third batch, that correction will be made.

“Thank God the press is here. I want to make a very bright appeal to the Federal Ministry of Health as well as the Nigerian government. Do not lead us into temptation.

“I say again, do not lead us into temptation. Because if you lead us into temptation when we have expressed a very high level of patience, you will not be forgiven by nature, God and the people. That correction should be made along with every other demand we have made peacefully,” he said.