For now, no Nigerian is still living with the illusion that Coronavirus is a virus made in China and for the Chinese. The reality has dawned on everyone and the only acceptable mode for most Nigerians now is the safety mode. Everyone wants to live. No one wants to contract the virus. But as the saying goes, the cat left the bag long ago. While no one would want to keep blaming anyone for the presence of the virus in Nigeria, it need, however, to be pointed out that government tardiness and refusal to be decisive brought the virus to Nigeria. It could have entered anyhow, but still, had government acted when it was most auspicious to do so, perhaps, Nigerians would not be living in the bondage called fear.
I am not a healthcare professional. But I am told by one that fear has a way of negatively impacting the immune system. If that be true, then, many Nigerians are already on death row because of fear, and panic, over coronavirus; but more by fake information about cure and management of the disease caused by the virus. Those who went swallowing chloroquine phosphate as soon as President Donald Trump of the United States of America made that comment are evidence of the need by the Nigerian society for proper and adequate information as at the time. It was unavailable and there were no assurances. So, people resorted to self-help and the way out was to rely on the comment by President Trump. That Nigerians relied on Trump showed how eager they were to hear from their own leader. He was not there for them. He disappointed. And still does.
However, the biggest thing about the pandemic, as far as Nigeria is concerned, is the exposition of the virus that had systematically kept Nigeria at the lower rungs of the health development index. Many Nigerians prayed that coronavirus would not hit their country. The reason was that Nigeria has no system in place to handle such a huge challenge. The reality is drawn from the failure to curtail Lassa fever, which has become an annual challenge. At the last count there were 472 confirmed cases of Lassa fever occasioned by the last outbreak before coronavirus came calling.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has a breakdown of Lassa fever cases on its website. It said that “from 1 January through 9 February 2020, 472 laboratory-confirmed cases, including 70 deaths (case fatality ratio = 14.8%) have been reported in 26 out of 36 Nigerian states and the Federal Capital Territory.” It further noted that “of the 472 confirmed cases, 75% have been reported from three states: Edo (167 cases), Ondo (156 cases) and Ebonyi (30 cases). The other states that have reported cases include Taraba (25), Bauchi (14), Plateau (13), Kogi (13), Delta (12), Nasarawa (4), Kano (4), Rivers (4), Enugu (4), Borno (3), Kaduna (3), Katsina (3), Benue (2), Adamawa (2), Sokoto (2), Osun (2), Abia (2), Kebbi (2), Gombe (1), Oyo (1), Anambra (1), FCT (1), and Ogun (1).”
It is certain that, with the coronavirus challenge, not much will be heard of Lasss fever. So, the figures may have gone up. However, that, in a nutshell, was the story of the recent outbreak of Lassa fever in Nigeria, a fever which WHO notes “is endemic.” The global body also stated that “capacities (to manage outbreaks) at sub-national level remain suboptimal.” It further advised that “country capacity to detect and respond to Lassa fever outbreaks needs to be improved.” This is in relation to surveillance, laboratory, case management, coordination and infection prevention and control measures.
This WHO position is disgraceful for a country like Nigeria. Nigeria has more than 4,000 well-trained medical doctors practicing in the United States of America alone. Many of these trained and qualified to be medical doctors in Nigeria before travelling abroad. Their reasons for leaving Nigeria is now what confronts the country leading to the failure to adequately eliminate Lassa fever or, effectively manage it to reduce the mortality rate. As it is, there is hardly any state of Nigeria with a medical facility that is very well equipped with adequate staffing, equipment, drugs, electricity, etc. Many have beds but no drugs. Many have syringes and sample bottles but not good laboratories that would enable a comprehensive study. In most cases, the first treatment a patient gets is affixing a drip, irrespective of what ails him or her. There are just too many things lacking. That is why many of Nigeria’s medical practitioners prefer to jet out as soon as they get certified.
That also is why the coronavirus pandemic is disturbing. Some state governors have resorted to consoling themselves with religion and praying that the virus does not hit their states. This in itself is confirmation that they, both incumbents and predecessors, have failed to provide for the healthcare component of their contract with the people. In some states, healthcare is about providing maternity services and free mosquito nets; the personnel are poorly trained and remunerated and drugs are given only as prescriptions. Beyond these, patients are at the mercy of divine providence.
The underbelly of this is corruption and greed. Many of those Nigerians entrust public office to do not always see such offices as public trust. Many see them as empowerment, with the right of access to public fund and to enrich self. Such self-enrichment opens the way to easily fly out to access medical care in countries of Europe and America: habits they hardly could afford prior to office. By neglecting healthcare at home, Nigeria’s leaders believe that the vulnerable and the poor have no need for good hospitals but ought to go see their pastors and prayer warriors when they take ill. This is why, for many poor Nigerians, taking ill is as good as being in the departure lounge. This also is the reason some governors express stoic belief that, somehow, God will stop coronavirus at the boundary of their states.
Today, many Nigerians are on social media, mocking their leaders for their inability to jet out for medicals due to the global lockdown caused by coronavirus. The situation is such that, if any of them takes ill, as at now, he/she will have no option than seek medical care within Nigeria’s shores. If this reality is forced, it means also that there is possibility of securing adequate healthcare within national boundary with the application of focus, vision and discipline. So, why not push for it? As it is, a governor has gone into self-isolation over coronavirus. There is no guessing the fact that he would have been flown out in a chartered jet towards the Middle East, Asia or North America had there not been a global lockdown.
However, don’t blame Nigeria’s leaders. Blame Nigerians. Their docility and acquiescence encourage the incubation, mutation and spread of this nasty and destructive leadership virus. If they resist, there will sure be a change. But they won’t because leadership in this sphere wears ethnic cloaks. If you move to resist, it would be because the leader is not from your part of the state, or, that he did not appoint you to ‘come and chop’ (apologies to late Simeon Afolabi). If you refuse to resist the behaviour, it will be because you are a beneficiary of the governmental system and had learnt table manners. The outcome is what Nigeria is faced with.
Coronavirus will not be defeated because Nigerians prayed all night for 70 days. It will not be defeated because Nigerians locked themselves indoors all month. It will not be defeated because they dry-fasted month-long. Coronavirus, and upcoming viruses, will be defeated only if Nigeria’s leaders prepare adequately by building and institutionalizing an integrated health system that respects professionalism in surveillance, research (laboratory), case management, equipment and even remuneration. It will be defeated because Nigeria’s leaders built and equipped hospitals.