Aidoghie Paulinus, Abuja
The Federal Government has appealed to the United States of America to lend its full support to global efforts to eradicate Coronavirus (COVID-19) which has ravaged most economies of the world.
Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire made the call when he received 200 ventilators from the U.S. government on behalf of the Nigeria in Abuja, yesterday.
The ventilators were presented by the U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria, Mrs Mary Beth Leonard as part of effort to help the country sustain the fight against Coronavirus.
Ehanire said the fight against Coronavirus needed the collaboration of all nations of the world for it to yield effective result.
“I request the U.S. government to lend its full weight to global efforts to find efficacious therapeutic and vaccines to neutralise the threats of COVID-19 to the global community and to guarantee fair allocation to all countries and people.
“The speed and ease at which COVID-19 has spread globally clearly shows that it is a threat to all mankind.
“Without the full collaboration of all nations, the threat of COVID-19 to any one part of the world is a threat to all,” Ehanire said.
He said the ventilators would help to take care of respiratory distress that patients experience as part of the terminal symptoms that follow coronavirus infection.
The minister said the ventilators would be distributed and allocated to states, including the FCT based on needs.
Director-General of NCDC, Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu said the more the ventilators, the more chances for people to survive COVID-19.
Ihekweazu, who was represented by the agency’s Director of Lab Services, Mrs Nwando Mba said the additional ventilators would support Nigeria’s response to not just COVID-19, but intensive care as well.
Leonard said the 200 ventilators being transferred to the Federal Government were compact and portable, and can be easily mobilised to reach patients with the most severe symptoms of COVID-19.
Leonard added that the arrival of the ventilators fulfilled the commitment discussed between Presidents Trump and Buhari earlier in the year.