‘Our part is to pursue with steadiness what is right, turning neither to right nor left for the intrigues or popular delusions of the day, assured that the public approbation will in the end be with us.”
–Thomas Jefferson
Daniel Kanu
Bad news, they say, spreads like the harmattan wildfire. This was the case with the news of Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu, director general of National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), the government agency with the mandate to lead the prevention, detection, and control of communicable diseases.
Dr Ihekweazu’s burden of facts-twisting set social media abuzz during the week.
Not many Nigerians have been following the giant strides of the renowned epidemiologist and public health physician because he is known more to be an epitome of humility and a silent achiever.
But his recent trip to China has continued to generate controversy, raising the consciousness of Nigerians on the burden of proof between being in quarantine and self-isolation. No thanks to the fear of Coronavirus disease.
Since his return from China, there have been reports in the media, mainly the social media, stating that Dr Ihekweazu was in quarantine over Coronavirus. Both the D-G and the agency (NCDC) have refuted it, saying it was false.
The story was that between February 16 and 24, the World Health Organization deployed a high-level mission to China. The joint mission had 25 national and international experts, including Dr Ihekweazu, being the Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control.
The mission met with all the contingents in China to understand their response to COVID-19 and how the global community can learn from this. As recommended in NCDC’s public health advisory, travellers from countries with ongoing transmission of Coronavirus are advised to proceed on 14-day self-isolation, whether well or unwell.
So, Dr Ihekweazu has to adhere to the instruction, to protect himself and the public on his arrival after he has shown no symptoms of COVID-19 infection, and tested negative and given clean bill of health.
Following the fact that Nigerians are now faced with their worst fears, many concluded that since Dr Ihekweazu has proceeded on a 14-day self-isolation that he has been quarantined.
Ostensibly perceiving the import of a negative signal and the fact that false rumour sticks in society and may be taken to be the truth if unchallenged, Dr Ihekweazu rose to correct the false impression, or misinterpretation as he took to his Twitter handle on Tuesday evening, saying that he is not under quarantine, but on self-isolation in one of the rooms in his house.
“The rumour that I am sick or in quarantine is obviously false. I look forward to returning to the office after 14 days of self-isolation,” he wrote in his Twitter account.
Also, the agency he represents, NCDC, had to issue a press statement to keep the records straight.
“The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control is aware of reports from the media stating that Director-General, Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu is in ‘quarantine over Coronavirus’. This is false,” NCDC stated.
Public commentator, Ezekiel Munas told Sunday Sun that the issue was that of misunderstanding, misinterpretation or mischief. He said the matter was a simple one, but that some individuals either out of ignorance or mischief were making a mountain out of a molehill.
“The issue is simple. The cause to me is hinged on either ignorance or mischief because Dr Ihekweazu was tested when he came back in line with safety provisions and he was negative and proceeded for a 14-day self-isolation, so what is the hullaballoo all about? Why should people report false information?
“Some mischievous people, who are negative minded will always want to carry negative news, some to drive traffic to their website, some to paint the man negatively just as to destroy him with such blemish.”
The truth is that the Coronavirus disease has become a serious issue that can no longer be ignored going by the lives of both the low and mighty it has wasted all over the world.
In a bid to create more awareness and protect lawmakers from contacting the deadly virus, the House of Representatives even resolved during the week to adjourn plenary for two weeks while they seek measures to tackle the deadly virus.
Also, as the Federal Government has said adequate measures are in place to checkmate the plague, House of Reps member, Hon. Dagomie Abiante has warned that Nigeria was not ready for the virus, insisting that there’s a need for all hands to be on deck.
At the moment over 60 countries have been hit with the COVID-19 disease, as the World Bank Group has made available an initial package of up to $12 billion in immediate support to assist countries coping with the health and economic impacts of the global outbreak.
Dr Ihekweazu, who is a graduate of the College of Medicine, University of Nigeria, has a Master’s degree in Public Health (MPH) from Heinrich-Heine University, Dusseldorf, Germany.
He was until January 2018, the acting director of the Regional Centre for Disease Control for West Africa.
Dr Ihekweazu trained as an infectious disease epidemiologist and has over 20 years’ experience working in senior public health and leadership positions in several national public health institutes, including the South African National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD), UK’s Health Protection Agency, and Germany’s Robert Koch Institute (RKI).
He has led several short-term engagements for WHO, mainly in response to major infectious disease outbreaks around the world.