President Muhammadu Buhari will again address the nation on
Monday, May 18, 2020, following the end of the first phase of the
gradual easing of the lockdown.
The National Coordinator of the Presidential Task Force in
COVID-19, made this disclosure when he appeared on Channels
Television’s Sunday Politics.
According to him, the president is to decide on whether or not
the country should go ahead with the second phase of the easing of
the lockdown.
Meanwhile, the chairman of the Presidential Task Force in
COVID-19 and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss
Mustapha, has warned those flouting the guidelines on the relaxed
lockdown, that the virus is going nowhere at least for the next two
months.
This is even as he said the next phase of the taskforce
responsibility had moved to the community level for them to take
ownership, reduce transmission if the country was to flatten the
curve.
He spoke after he led members of the team to submit a report to
President Buhari at the State House, Abuja.
Mustapha who reiterated that COVID-19 is a marathon race and not
100 meters dashed, added that no vaccine was on the horizon, adding
that even the ones being developed would take about 18 months to
two years before they would be confirmed for human use.
Mustapha was responding to a question on whether the PTF was
still worried about the response of Nigerians to the pandemic.
According to him, “that is one of the setbacks that I can say.
There was a poll that was conducted over the last two weeks
covering all facets of segments and demography of people; 99
percent of Nigerians said they were aware of COVID-19, they had
listened to publicity materials, jingles and the information that
had been put out there by the Ministry of Information and the
Nigeria Centre for Disease Control.
But different percentages had a different perspective; some 26
percent said that they were immuned, with that kind of a mindset,
when someone said he is immune, it means that he will not use the
face mask, he will not observe social distancing, he will not stay
at home when he is supposed to stay at home. And different
percentages had ascribed different levels of understanding of what
COVID-19 is.
But the most important thing is for us to drive home community
ownership; let the community understand that there is a COVID-19
that is deadly, that can ravage their health and their wealth and
the most important thing for them to do is for them to take
personal responsibility in dealing with it. And how do they take
responsibility?
All of them should be overseers of their communities, watch out
for people who have symptoms and urged them to report at the
nearest health facility and get tested and if they are confirmed
positive, their contacts can be traced and they will be taken into
care, that is the most important thing to do.
“COVID-19 is not going to go away in the next one or two months,
whoever tells you that is not being realistic. No vaccine is on the
horizon, we are talking about 18 months to two years before
vaccines would be confirmed for human use as far as COVID-19. And
unless we get there, it means that it will remain.
“It might have cycles, after the first cycle of pandemic, they
might be a relief, there can be a resurgence and that is evidenced
all over the world. It has happened before as is the nature of
infections. So, I believe that what we are going to do now as a
task force is to come down to the level of having the communities
take ownership of the response.
“We have developed a national response which has been cascaded
to the states but the communities must plug into the national
response. Where we have primary health care centres all over the
country, they can be used as stations of reporting of surveillance
within a particular community, of tracing, of tracking so that we
can take out those that we suspect have exhibited symptoms or have
come in contact with people who have exhibited symptoms for testing
and isolation. That way you plug them out of the community and
reduce the risk of transmission. That is basically what we are
working on.”
The SGF added: “We have been preaching that in the last week.
All our press conferences we emphasized that there must be a change
and there must be a paradigm shift to community responsibility
because we believe we have gotten to the stage of community
transmission and the only way you can deal with community
transmission is when you give the responsibility back to the
community, not in terms of treating people, no. In terms of being
conscious and aware of the fact that this thing is in our community
and we have the collective resolve to ensure that we protect our
people, particularly the aged, the sick, the ones that have
underlying health conditions that are easily susceptible to the
fatalities of COVID-19. And that is why as a task force we have
stood very strong against congregations.
“Congregations are the easiest places where you can get infected
in terms of transmission and that is why we try as much as possible
to discourage congregations in all that we do. Because, the aged,
the sick and the vulnerable will turn up in congregations, and once
they get infected it becomes another ball game altogether. And so
the zeal now and the drive will be geared towards community
ownership.”
On the president‘s response, Mustapha said he was satisfied with
what Nigeria, in spite of her poor health care system had been able
to do while tackling the pandemic.
He said: “Well, the president expressed his satisfaction that in
spite of the difficulties and the fact that as a nation, we lack
the capable infrastructure looking at what is happening to the
developed world, where countries that have traditionally
established health institutions with all the palliatives, with all
the privileges, with all the schemes that guide its people have
crumble as a result of COVID-19, we are still standing and doing
our best under the circumstances to ensure that we provide the
necessary direction. So he expressed his satisfaction with the PTF,
the minister of health and Nigeria Centre for Disease Control,
which are an integral part of the task force and all the
multi-sectoral ministries and are involved in this work – the armed
forces, the police, the kind of cooperation we have received from
them, without them we wouldn’t have recorded the modest successes
that we have achieved. So, he expressed his appreciation that have
contributed to where we are today.
“Our numbers are going up but you have to consider that our
mortality too is not as drastic as it’s being expected.”
The PTF chair said the visit was a routine excise to submit an
interim report to him on the activities of the task force and also
to update him on preparation for the other phases of
engagement.
He said the task force also supplied President Buhari with all
the materials that were required to look at the issues. “Because,
we are in for the long hurl, this is not a short distance race, is
a marathon and we have to keep everything in perspective. But
remember on the 27th of April, he addressed the nation and placed
the easing down of the lockdown effective from the 4th of May. From
the 4th of May to date is about 13 days, tomorrow (Monday) we
should expect new processes to be put in place. But we have to give
him all the material details that will help us in preparing for the
future. So that is why we are here.”
Asked if the PTF achieved its objectives in the first phase,
Mustapha said: “Yes. We had three objectives and I can say to a
large extent we have achieved these objectives. We might not be
there totally but I am confident that looking at the strategies
that we are putting in place, going forward we will strengthen
those objectives that we have substantially achieved which are
purpose-driven in terms of dealing with COVID-19 and like I said it
is not a 100-meter race, it is a marathon. So at every point in
time, you put in place the strategy and move forward and that is
what we are doing. I can assure you that what proposals we have
brought today for Mr. President’s consideration, I think
holistically, it will put us in a better frame to deal with the
future.”
On whether the PTF have taken delivery of the Madagascan remedy,
he said: “I understand it’s been brought by…I will take delivery
probably tomorrow, Monday. The president has already said it will
be scientifically dealt with; it is only after that that he can
allow it to be tested. But that has been our position that whatever
comes in, whatever cure, whatever solution that is being provided
must be subjected to a process of validation.
“The minister of health has institutions under his ministry that
is charged statutorily with the processes of validation. Anything
that we will receive, anything that is locally developed must go
through the processes of validation before we will allow it.”
President Muhammadu Buhari will again address the nation on
Monday, May 18, 2020, following the end of the first phase of the
gradual easing of the lockdown.
The National Coordinator of the Presidential Task Force in
COVID-19, made this disclosure when he appeared on Channels
Television’s Sunday Politics.
According to him, the president is to decide on whether or not
the country should go ahead with the second phase of the easing of
the lockdown.
Meanwhile, the chairman of the Presidential Task Force in
COVID-19 and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss
Mustapha, has warned those flouting the guidelines on the relaxed
lockdown, that the virus is going nowhere at least for the next two
months.
This is even as he said the next phase of the taskforce
responsibility had moved to the community level for them to take
ownership, reduce transmission if the country was to flatten the
curve.
He spoke after he led members of the team to submit a report to
President Buhari at the State House, Abuja.
Mustapha who reiterated that COVID-19 is a marathon race and not
100 meters dashed, added that no vaccine was on the horizon, adding
that even the ones being developed would take about 18 months to
two years before they would be confirmed for human use.
Mustapha was responding to a question on whether the PTF was
still worried about the response of Nigerians to the pandemic.
According to him, “that is one of the setbacks that I can say.
There was a poll that was conducted over the last two weeks
covering all facets of segments and demography of people; 99
percent of Nigerians said they were aware of COVID-19, they had
listened to publicity materials, jingles and the information that
had been put out there by the Ministry of Information and the
Nigeria Centre for Disease Control.
But different percentages had a different perspective; some 26
percent said that they were immuned, with that kind of a mindset,
when someone said he is immune, it means that he will not use the
face mask, he will not observe social distancing, he will not stay
at home when he is supposed to stay at home. And different
percentages had ascribed different levels of understanding of what
COVID-19 is.
But the most important thing is for us to drive home community
ownership; let the community understand that there is a COVID-19
that is deadly, that can ravage their health and their wealth and
the most important thing for them to do is for them to take
personal responsibility in dealing with it. And how do they take
responsibility?
All of them should be overseers of their communities, watch out
for people who have symptoms and urged them to report at the
nearest health facility and get tested and if they are confirmed
positive, their contacts can be traced and they will be taken into
care, that is the most important thing to do.
“COVID-19 is not going to go away in the next one or two months,
whoever tells you that is not being realistic. No vaccine is on the
horizon, we are talking about 18 months to two years before
vaccines would be confirmed for human use as far as COVID-19. And
unless we get there, it means that it will remain.
“It might have cycles, after the first cycle of pandemic, they
might be a relief, there can be a resurgence and that is evidenced
all over the world. It has happened before as is the nature of
infections. So, I believe that what we are going to do now as a
task force is to come down to the level of having the communities
take ownership of the response.
“We have developed a national response which has been cascaded
to the states but the communities must plug into the national
response. Where we have primary health care centres all over the
country, they can be used as stations of reporting of surveillance
within a particular community, of tracing, of tracking so that we
can take out those that we suspect have exhibited symptoms or have
come in contact with people who have exhibited symptoms for testing
and isolation. That way you plug them out of the community and
reduce the risk of transmission. That is basically what we are
working on.”
The SGF added: “We have been preaching that in the last week.
All our press conferences we emphasized that there must be a change
and there must be a paradigm shift to community responsibility
because we believe we have gotten to the stage of community
transmission and the only way you can deal with community
transmission is when you give the responsibility back to the
community, not in terms of treating people, no. In terms of being
conscious and aware of the fact that this thing is in our community
and we have the collective resolve to ensure that we protect our
people, particularly the aged, the sick, the ones that have
underlying health conditions that are easily susceptible to the
fatalities of COVID-19. And that is why as a task force we have
stood very strong against congregations.
“Congregations are the easiest places where you can get infected
in terms of transmission and that is why we try as much as possible
to discourage congregations in all that we do. Because, the aged,
the sick and the vulnerable will turn up in congregations, and once
they get infected it becomes another ball game altogether. And so
the zeal now and the drive will be geared towards community
ownership.”
On the president‘s response, Mustapha said he was satisfied with
what Nigeria, in spite of her poor health care system had been able
to do while tackling the pandemic.
He said: “Well, the president expressed his satisfaction that in
spite of the difficulties and the fact that as a nation, we lack
the capable infrastructure looking at what is happening to the
developed world, where countries that have traditionally
established health institutions with all the palliatives, with all
the privileges, with all the schemes that guide its people have
crumble as a result of COVID-19, we are still standing and doing
our best under the circumstances to ensure that we provide the
necessary direction. So he expressed his satisfaction with the PTF,
the minister of health and Nigeria Centre for Disease Control,
which are an integral part of the task force and all the
multi-sectoral ministries and are involved in this work – the armed
forces, the police, the kind of cooperation we have received from
them, without them we wouldn’t have recorded the modest successes
that we have achieved. So, he expressed his appreciation that have
contributed to where we are today.
“Our numbers are going up but you have to consider that our
mortality too is not as drastic as it’s being expected.”
The PTF chair said the visit was a routine excise to submit an
interim report to him on the activities of the task force and also
to update him on preparation for the other phases of
engagement.
He said the task force also supplied President Buhari with all
the materials that were required to look at the issues. “Because,
we are in for the long hurl, this is not a short distance race, is
a marathon and we have to keep everything in perspective. But
remember on the 27th of April, he addressed the nation and placed
the easing down of the lockdown effective from the 4th of May. From
the 4th of May to date is about 13 days, tomorrow (Monday) we
should expect new processes to be put in place. But we have to give
him all the material details that will help us in preparing for the
future. So that is why we are here.”
Asked if the PTF achieved its objectives in the first phase,
Mustapha said: “Yes. We had three objectives and I can say to a
large extent we have achieved these objectives. We might not be
there totally but I am confident that looking at the strategies
that we are putting in place, going forward we will strengthen
those objectives that we have substantially achieved which are
purpose-driven in terms of dealing with COVID-19 and like I said it
is not a 100-meter race, it is a marathon. So at every point in
time, you put in place the strategy and move forward and that is
what we are doing. I can assure you that what proposals we have
brought today for Mr. President’s consideration, I think
holistically, it will put us in a better frame to deal with the
future.”
On whether the PTF have taken delivery of the Madagascan remedy,
he said: “I understand it’s been brought by…I will take delivery
probably tomorrow, Monday. The president has already said it will
be scientifically dealt with; it is only after that that he can
allow it to be tested. But that has been our position that whatever
comes in, whatever cure, whatever solution that is being provided
must be subjected to a process of validation.
“The minister of health has institutions under his ministry that
is charged statutorily with the processes of validation. Anything
that we will receive, anything that is locally developed must go
through the processes of validation before we will allow it.”