Moses Emorinken, Abuja
EXPERTS in the health sector have warned that there could be an uncontrollable surge in COVID-19 infection if Nigerians continue to show lackadaisical attitude towards the preventive and safety protocols constantly announced by the government. .
They said Nigeria might join ranks with countries experiencing a dangerous new wave and rapid resurgence in the rate of spread of the disease should citizens continue to disobey the guidelines given by the government.
Speaking during the daily briefing of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, in Abuja on Thursday, the National Coordinator, Dr. Sani Aliyu, said: “Many do not believe that COVID-19 is real and many think that it is a scam or a ploy to access funds meant for public welfare. Others do not believe simply because they have not seen or do not know someone who had tested positive for COVID-19.
“Our numbers are already increasing. We do not want to reach the stage that other countries are experiencing. A reasonable number of people still believe it is a disease that affects other countries but not Nigeria.
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“I am afraid we are all humans and there is nothing special about us as Nigerians that provides us with resistance against COVID-19. Our climate is very similar to that of Brazil, and their health system is much more sophisticated than that of Nigeria, but you can see the sort of prevalence that they are currently facing.
“For every one case, there are a handful of cases that we are missing because we are not able to test everybody.”
Speaking with The Nation, the President of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) Prof. Innocent Ujah, also emphasised that Nigerians need to believe that COVID-19 is real and take responsibility for prevention and safety.
“The basic thing that we need to do is first to communicate and carry the message and use all the instruments of communication – television, radio, print, and social media.
“The National Orientation Agency (NOA) has to be up and doing. It is its duty to educate and inform the public using several means, including megaphone mounted vehicles and move from village to village, community to community, so that people will be convinced and accept the fact that COVID-19 is real.”
Chairman, Medical Sub-Committee of the COVID-19 Ministerial Expert Advisory Committee in Abuja, Dr. Ejike Orji, said: “The philosophy of the disease is that people should be kept apart or they should wear a mask. When people depart from those basic norms, then, they are just looking for trouble.”
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