‘Be Corona, Lassa virus aware’

Tony Marinho

BCDEFGGHI=Avoid Bribery & Corruption Daily Everywhere For Good Governance Here Immediately for a Nigeria@2020.

‘Take care: Be Corona, Lassa Virus Aware’. Please research to find out if Wuhan, China, is as claimed, the capital of China’s bio-warfare as well as the ‘original sin’ city of Coronavirus.

The story of the origin of Coronavirus will be as convoluted as that of HIV. Coronavirus is a blanket virus group, this strain is ‘2019-nCoV’ and suspected to be from snakes or a mammal.

Coronavirus is alive and well and over 15-76,000 are identified as infected in Wuhan and 15,000 confirmed with a less than 2.5% death rate and so far 300 are dead and Coronavirus has ‘left the building’ called China and could visit a place near you soon.

Previous Coronavirus infections were the 2002-3 SARS from bats and the civet and the 2012 MERS outbreak from camels. Face masks are selling across the counter for $120/box in some countries.

More than 300 Chinese left Nigeria for the National Holiday – ‘the Chinese New Year’ but should not return yet because we cannot handle emergencies. Nigeria cuts too many ‘health and safety’, and administrative corners with CINS -Corruption, Incompetence, Negligence, Selfishness issues.

Lack of maintenance is the key to our failures. Therefore, Nigeria will not continuously adequately clean/maintain the local contaminated environment, will be unable to adequately trace contacts or quarantine them comfortably and adequately.

Remember ideally contacts should be quarantined from each other or risk leaving with a deadly infection contracted under quarantine.

This would be a criminal offence by medical authorities. It is like our unfortunate IDPs, fleeing rape, intimidation and extortion only to be abused in poorly supervised IDP camps by ‘uniforms’ sent to protect them. Failure!! Who does not prayerfully remember Dr Ameyo Stella Adadevoh and her fellow heroes?

That failure to IDPs should not be extended to this Coronavirus epidemic control plan. Epidemics in Nigeria are seen by some as ‘Devil-sent opportunities for self-enrichment’. Unfortunately, the Nigerian authorities do not have a stellar past reputation.

The financial ‘Management of Epidemics’ has been costly and mired in accountability problems with partners actually withdrawing support until accountability can be secured. Unscrupulous health officials profiting from past epidemics extorted money from the ‘Epidemic Blank Cheque’.

Key areas of criminal inflation were

1. Hyper-inflation of contracts for the ‘emergency’ purchase and ‘flying in’ of protective garments and equipment for isolation centres.

2. Under-delivery/ Cancellation of fully purchased protective garments and equipment and corrupt recovery of funds paid.

3. Non-distribution or poor rollout of the equipment nationwide. An honest EFCC should pre-emptively work with the incumbent minister to ensure a corruption-free ‘Coronavirus Epidemic Response’. Corruption itself is an epidemic needing reduction/eradication.

Read Also: Lassa fever: Three pregnant women, six others die

Strangely, most state governments do so little medically for their citizenry, expecting federal authorities to provide cancer care etc.

All Nigerians know that every governor before and certainly since 1999 has always had more than enough funds to raise their states, and their hospital services, to first world level. Governors of 2-20m citizens are in loco ‘State Heads of State’ and should become proper service-governors and stop ignoring the advice and needs of medical staff.

Governors must

1. Listen to their medical staff to grow healthcare

2. Provide for massive media health education information on all public and private radio and TV stations and

3. Identify and upgrade ‘Isolation services’ and;

4. Provide protective clothing for health workers or 5. Resign. Shame on governors stealing state funds for political parties, party officials and building political war chests and personal fortunes on the graves of citizens’ poor health!!!

Of course, in Nigeria Lassa is first, transmitted by rat-urine but also 15-20% deadly tragically claiming patients and medical staff. Of course, rats are worldwide and useful in reducing waste.

But populations must be controlled. Unfortunately, Nigeria does not implement repeatedly recommended ‘Public Health Vector Reduction Projects’ to reduce the rat population.

I remember giant rats, one-foot long+, roaming around especially after midnight when I was on call in all the hospitals I have worked in hospitals across Nigeria, public and private.

The rats thrived on and were ‘fattened on’ and attracted by poor disposal of waste, including poorly disposed of placentas. Ditto in our markets and dumpsites.

Which, governor approved any of the requests by medical personnel for ‘Regular Rat Control Programs’ in waste dumps, schools, hospitals and offices.

Yes, wear masks and wash hands and wear gloves around infected people and do not get coughed on or sneezed at. Keep clear of patients’ body fluids.  The spectacular lack of routine coordinated action between health authorities in LGAs, state and federal is our predicament.

Last week the question was ‘Who is digging potholes immediately after governments fill and tar them?’

Yes, a few governments declared unfulfilled ‘Zero Tolerance for Potholes’. Who are ‘Pothole Diggers Association’ destroying development? Traditionalists who bury ‘food for gods and ancestors’ at junctions for protection, prayer or prosperity? Also, traders seeking to slow down traffic for hawking to flourish.

Terrorists aka robbers also dig the road to force accidents, so they can terrorize road users. Surprisingly in indigenous areas of cities where potholes repeated get ‘filled-unfilled’ and suddenly re-appear, the diggers are local thug lords, of changeable political party allegiance, who feel disrespected when not paid ‘financial compensation’ from the government to ‘keep the peace’. Should we declare ‘Pothole Diggers Amnesty’ for the ‘Pothole Diggers Association’ like we do for most other murderers!