Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
The Presidential Task Force (PTF) on coronavirus (COVID-19), on Friday disclosed that a multi-sectoral technical team on a fact finding mission, has been deployed to Jigawa State over unusual deaths as well as deportation of Almajiris, many of whom have tested positive to the virus.
The Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, at the national briefing of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19.
According to him, the team which include doctors and nurses which is to support the State was at the request of the state Executive Governor.
He explained that the Ministry of Health in setting up and accrediting the state’s Isolation and treatment centers, adding that the team is also expected to looked into the reported cases of unusual deaths in couple of days.
On the non-compliance with Federal Government guidelines on testing for COVID-19 in Kogi State, Ehanire said the Ministry of Health team sent to Kogi State has returned to Abuja, without mission accomplishment.
“New efforts will be made to engage Kogi authorities for resolution of differences. A team will visit Bornu State for the same purpose in due course.
“State Commissioners of Health will be engaged on a continuous basis to monitor readiness and preparedness, and address matters arising,” he added.
He said that with the increasing figures, the nation is approaching a difficult area in COVID-19 response, and which all citizens can still influence by adhering more strictly to all the safety, infection prevention and non pharmaceutical injunctions that have been repeatedly given.
“As the COVID-19 pandemic increases and progresses to community transmission level in Nigeria, the Federal Ministry of Health and other organs of government are continuously seeking measures to check or break transmission and so control the spread, with tried, tested and also innovative measures and guidelines.
“Our ideal is still to identify all positive cases and isolate both the symptomatic and asymptomatic, to safeguard the health of the rest of the population as well as provide care to the symptomatic.
“This includes our efforts at intensively building the expertise of critical care doctors and nurses, to utilize ventilators and other appliances being allocated to Intensivecare hospitals, nationwide. The sustainability of the strategy may be challenged as time goes on by the evolving realities across the country,” Ehanire said.
Also speaking on Kogi situation, the DG NCDC, Chikwe Ihekweazu said, “We can only offer help where the help is wanted… Let me say we’ve had a wonderful relationship with Kogi, it’s one of first states where we set up an EOC; we gave State Epidemiologist a vehicle over a year ago; the Commissioner for Health is a personal friend.”
On testing he said: “We have planned for 2 million test kits over the next few months, and the procurement process has already started, not just by Nigerian government but also by our international partners.