By Franca Ochigbo, Abuja

The Minister of Environment, Mohammad Abubakar has revealed that the Federal Government is working to ensure Health Regulation Protection 2021 to control further spread of COVID-19 wave.

Abubakar said the rate at which the second wave of the pandemic is raging is alarming; a situation which has made the government to enforce the HRP 2021 which again is in line with international best practices towards curbing the spread of the pandemic.

According to the Minister, the Six Parts Regulations’ comprehensive provisions must be made to work for the good of the Nigerian public. The provisions on non-pharmaceutical measures are, by no means, the most important aspects of COVID-19 prevention and they are very clear and easy to adhere to.

The COVID-19 HPR 2021 is an essential legal directive meant to safeguard the health of the entire Nigerian people which must be complied with for the citizens’ good.  It spells out clearly the roles of stakeholders – individual Nigerians, religious leaders; business owners; worship centres; commercial centres; institutions of learning; health care institutions; transportation facilities; workplaces; hospitality facilities; custodial centres and others.

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We have responsibility to ensure that all the provisions therein are complied within the interest of all of us. Remember that the health of one is the health of all.

Furthermore, the ministry is poised to ensuring compliance with the COVID-19 HPR 2021; a team of environmental health officers of the ministry has been mobilised.

In the same manner, I enjoin environmental health authorities in the sub-national entities (state and local governments), to accordingly mobilise their environmental health officers to join the important national assignment.

It is also instructive to specifically draw the attention of environmental health officers to regulations 36 (part 5) which makes it compulsory on them to enforce the Regulations.

The Minister added that he will not hesitate to institute disciplinary action in line with Regulation 36, on any erring environmental health officer. He re-echoed the need for disinfection of premises as provided for in Regulation 7 (part 2) of the Regulations.

In this respect, the ministry and environmental health officers nationwide will continue to render quality and effective decontamination/disinfection services for the timely elimination of the viruses living outside a human/animal host thus making our environment and surfaces sterile.

Also critical is the improvement of ventilation at workplaces, schools, hospitals, banking halls, shopping malls, public transportation vehicles and similar public facilities recording a high number of users.