* Says not all 40 health workers contracted virus on line of
duty
The Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire, says President Muhammadu
Buhari will determine when to lift the lockdown order in Lagos,
Abuja and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Ehanire disclosed this on Sunday during an interview on Channels
Television’s Sunday Politics regarding efforts made by the Federal
Government to tackle COVID-19 pandemic in the country.
“The President will make that announcement in his own time. We
will give him the facts, he will consider the facts and make his
own announcements using his own wisdom,” the Minister said.
In order to curtail the spread of COVID-19 in the country,
President Buhari had on May 29 declared a total lockdown.
While directing the cessation of all movements in Lagos and the
FCT for an initial period of 14 days, Buhari asked all citizens in
the affected areas to stay in their homes, adding that travel to or
from other states should be postponed.
Two weeks after the expiration, the President extended the
lockdown on April 13 for another two weeks.
But when asked if it is professionally wise to relax the
lockdown or to extend it, the Minister did not affirm or oppose the
question.
He believes that every country has the right to balance the
medical and health-related benefits from the economic-related
benefits.
According to him, the decision of whether or not to extend the
lockdown has to be tailored according to the needs of
Nigerians.
“What happens is that every country, you balance the medical and
the health-related benefits from the economic-related benefits
because you have an economy you don’t want to kill and you also
have the health side that you don’t want to destroy.
“It’s a very delicate balance which you need to do. All
countries do that; it’s not only in our country. Even in the United
States, they have that debate all the time. Do we open the economy
now or do we not open it now?” he said.
Speaking on the mysterious deaths in Kano, the Minister
explained that a delegation will be sent to the state to thoroughly
investigate the circumstances surrounding the loss of lives
there.
Asked if those infected were spread all over the states were
cases of coronavirus have been recorded, the minister said: “Well,
they are not in one state, they are spread all over the places
where we have cases. May I also remind you that not all of these
health workers got infected in the line of duty, some of them got
it through contacts or through travel.
But on the whole we advise that staff or those who are working
on institutions where COVID-19 is being treated be very careful
about their safety and we also advise those who are not accredited
to handle COVID-19 to stay away from this highly infectious and
contagious disease. “It is not something that is to be treated
everywhere, those who do it without realizing it are likely to be
infect themselves and this is not what we need, they will also
danger their families when they get home.”
Recalled that Ehanire had cautioned health workers to observe
maximum safety and precautionary measures when treating any
patient.
He had said, apart from health workers, there were others who
have been quarantined in the last two weeks due to exposure and
have not been able to contribute to efforts of the health sector to
stop the pandemic.
* Says not all 40 health workers contracted virus on line of
duty
The Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire, says President Muhammadu
Buhari will determine when to lift the lockdown order in Lagos,
Abuja and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Ehanire disclosed this on Sunday during an interview on Channels
Television’s Sunday Politics regarding efforts made by the Federal
Government to tackle COVID-19 pandemic in the country.
“The President will make that announcement in his own time. We
will give him the facts, he will consider the facts and make his
own announcements using his own wisdom,” the Minister said.
In order to curtail the spread of COVID-19 in the country,
President Buhari had on May 29 declared a total lockdown.
While directing the cessation of all movements in Lagos and the
FCT for an initial period of 14 days, Buhari asked all citizens in
the affected areas to stay in their homes, adding that travel to or
from other states should be postponed.
Two weeks after the expiration, the President extended the
lockdown on April 13 for another two weeks.
But when asked if it is professionally wise to relax the
lockdown or to extend it, the Minister did not affirm or oppose the
question.
He believes that every country has the right to balance the
medical and health-related benefits from the economic-related
benefits.
According to him, the decision of whether or not to extend the
lockdown has to be tailored according to the needs of
Nigerians.
“What happens is that every country, you balance the medical and
the health-related benefits from the economic-related benefits
because you have an economy you don’t want to kill and you also
have the health side that you don’t want to destroy.
“It’s a very delicate balance which you need to do. All
countries do that; it’s not only in our country. Even in the United
States, they have that debate all the time. Do we open the economy
now or do we not open it now?” he said.
Speaking on the mysterious deaths in Kano, the Minister
explained that a delegation will be sent to the state to thoroughly
investigate the circumstances surrounding the loss of lives
there.
Asked if those infected were spread all over the states were
cases of coronavirus have been recorded, the minister said: “Well,
they are not in one state, they are spread all over the places
where we have cases. May I also remind you that not all of these
health workers got infected in the line of duty, some of them got
it through contacts or through travel.
But on the whole we advise that staff or those who are working
on institutions where COVID-19 is being treated be very careful
about their safety and we also advise those who are not accredited
to handle COVID-19 to stay away from this highly infectious and
contagious disease. “It is not something that is to be treated
everywhere, those who do it without realizing it are likely to be
infect themselves and this is not what we need, they will also
danger their families when they get home.”
Recalled that Ehanire had cautioned health workers to observe
maximum safety and precautionary measures when treating any
patient.
He had said, apart from health workers, there were others who
have been quarantined in the last two weeks due to exposure and
have not been able to contribute to efforts of the health sector to
stop the pandemic.