Health

Nigeria can handle coronavirus – Twitter banter over minister’s comment

Last updated on September 11th, 2021 at 03:05 pm

Nigerians on Twitter are concerned over a declaration by the Minister of Health that the country is ready for the coronavirus in terms of detection and response in case of its importation.
Minister Osagie Ehanire at a meeting broad-based in stakeholder forum in Abuja on Saturday said Africa’s most populous nation had the capacity to detect, assess and respond in case the virus finds its way into the country.
“While the risk of importation exists, we can assure Nigerians of the nation’s capacity to detect, assess and respond to this and any other public health threats at the point of entry.”
He also said the federal government had voted funds to increase services of the ministry’s Port Health Services Unit. He disclosed that government was in touch with 16 Nigerians in Wuhan, the epicenter of the epidemic in China’s Hubei province.
“There have been no confirmed cases in Africa but the potential has been clearly demonstrated,” he added. So far Kenya, Ethiopia and Ivory Coast have reported negative outcomes for suspected cases. Botswana is probing one such case.
For his part, the Information Minister Alhaji Lai Mohammed said the government only had travel advisories to issue but cannot ban travels. “Right now, we are working together at an inter-ministerial level to be able to contain the epidemic.
“What we will do is to give travel advisories, that if it is not essential to travel to southeast China, do not make such trips. But you know it is very difficult to ban people from travelling,” he added.
But on social media, Nigerians are cautioning the Health Minister against the pronouncement. Whiles some are pointing him in the direction of prevailing diseases like malaria and lassa fever, others say he has no business making claims he knows to be untrue.
The Minister had some defenders amid the criticism. Those with the view cited how Nigeria battled Ebola when it arrived in the country years ago.

Albert Echetah

Recent Posts

Slovak PM meets Putin in unannounced Moscow visit

The Prime Minister of Slovakia, Robert Fico, made a surprise visit to Moscow for talks with Vladimir Putin, becoming the…

December 23, 2024

Africa and GCC Trade Doubles to $121 Billion

Trade between African and GCC countries stands at $ 121 billion in 2023, double of what it was in 2016.…

December 22, 2024

Families in Mayotte rebuilding their homes complain of lack of help

Family members struggling after one week after  of Cyclone Chido ripped through the French island territory of Mayotte expressed helplessness…

December 21, 2024

Ethiopian PM Inaugurates UAE-Funded Orphanage in Oromia

The United Arab Emirates has launched its orphanage project in Ethiopia's Oromia region on the orders of President Sheikh Mohamed…

December 21, 2024

A Rising Femicide Threat, Kenya’s Call to End Gender Based Violence

In just four months, 100 women have been killed, the majority by males they knew including spouses. Prime Cabinet Secretary…

December 20, 2024

Actor C Confion has passed away

The Ghanaian entertainment industry is in deep mourning following the sudden death of Bright Owusu, better known as C Confion.…

December 20, 2024

This website uses cookies.