President Muhammadu Buhari on Sunday received briefing from
Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, and Director-General,
Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Chikwe Ihekweazu, on the
latest development over Coronavirus and the reported strange
disease in Kano.
Ehanire, who spoke to State House correspondents on the outcome
of the closed door meeting in Abuja, said they briefed the
president on the activities and overall positions of the
Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19.
The briefing of President Buhari by the minister and the
Director General of the NCDC came barely 24 hours to the expiration
of the 14-day extension to a lockdown in Lagos, Abuja and Ogun
states to combat the Coronavirus pandemic.
The Nigerian leader had on April 13 announced a 14-day extension
to a lockdown in Lagos, Abuja and Ogun states to combat the deadly
virus.
The minister said the PTF presented to the president its advice
and recommendations on way forward as regard the ongoing fight
against the spread of the deadly virus in the country.
“We also brought the overall summary apposition of the
Presidential Task Force which as you know comprises of not only the
health ministry but other ministries.
“We have aggregated the opinions that we have, weighing the
health and the socio-economic factors and everything, to present
our own opinion and recommendations to Mr President,’’ he said.
Ehanire believed that the nation was winning the fight against
the pandemic as all relevant health institutions had agreed to work
together to achieve the desired goal of defeating the novel
Coronavirus.
He said: “The fight is going on very well. As I said, all
countries have continued with the struggle against Coronavirus,
using the strategies that they have developed for their own
countries.
“We have developed a strong strategy as we are working with
other experts groups like the NCDC and relevant health
organisations.
“So, we are also working with the states and the
governors.’’
The minister, who also spoke on the reported Kano strange
disease, said his ministry had been communicating with relevant
agencies including Kano State Government with a view to addressing
the health problem.
The Director-General of the NCDC, Chikwe Ihekweazu, who also
spoke to the correspondents, advised Nigerians against wasting
their meagre resources on the procurement of what he described as
uncertified Rapid Diagnostic Test Kits.
He said: “We will continue to build up our testing strategies.
At the moment 14 testing centres have been activated across the
country.
“We want to bring the test closer to every state. Everybody is
working very hard to solve this problem.
“I can see that some people are already procuring Rapid
Diagnostic Test Kits. They don’t work as far as we know.
“So, I will really recommend that we all stick to the National
Strategy, build on it, support its expansion and together we will
get on top of the pandemic.’’
President Muhammadu Buhari on Sunday received briefing from
Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, and Director-General,
Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Chikwe Ihekweazu, on the
latest development over Coronavirus and the reported strange
disease in Kano.
Ehanire, who spoke to State House correspondents on the outcome
of the closed door meeting in Abuja, said they briefed the
president on the activities and overall positions of the
Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19.
The briefing of President Buhari by the minister and the
Director General of the NCDC came barely 24 hours to the expiration
of the 14-day extension to a lockdown in Lagos, Abuja and Ogun
states to combat the Coronavirus pandemic.
The Nigerian leader had on April 13 announced a 14-day extension
to a lockdown in Lagos, Abuja and Ogun states to combat the deadly
virus.
The minister said the PTF presented to the president its advice
and recommendations on way forward as regard the ongoing fight
against the spread of the deadly virus in the country.
“We also brought the overall summary apposition of the
Presidential Task Force which as you know comprises of not only the
health ministry but other ministries.
“We have aggregated the opinions that we have, weighing the
health and the socio-economic factors and everything, to present
our own opinion and recommendations to Mr President,’’ he said.
Ehanire believed that the nation was winning the fight against
the pandemic as all relevant health institutions had agreed to work
together to achieve the desired goal of defeating the novel
Coronavirus.
He said: “The fight is going on very well. As I said, all
countries have continued with the struggle against Coronavirus,
using the strategies that they have developed for their own
countries.
“We have developed a strong strategy as we are working with
other experts groups like the NCDC and relevant health
organisations.
“So, we are also working with the states and the
governors.’’
The minister, who also spoke on the reported Kano strange
disease, said his ministry had been communicating with relevant
agencies including Kano State Government with a view to addressing
the health problem.
The Director-General of the NCDC, Chikwe Ihekweazu, who also
spoke to the correspondents, advised Nigerians against wasting
their meagre resources on the procurement of what he described as
uncertified Rapid Diagnostic Test Kits.
He said: “We will continue to build up our testing strategies.
At the moment 14 testing centres have been activated across the
country.
“We want to bring the test closer to every state. Everybody is
working very hard to solve this problem.
“I can see that some people are already procuring Rapid
Diagnostic Test Kits. They don’t work as far as we know.
“So, I will really recommend that we all stick to the National
Strategy, build on it, support its expansion and together we will
get on top of the pandemic.’’