From Stanley Uzoaru, Owerri

Imo State chairman of Taskforce Against Coronavirus, Prof. Maurice Iwu, has said he was confident Nigeria would find the cure for COVID-19 applying the experiences gained in curbing Ebola virus.

Iwu said Nigerian scientists were better equipped than before using translational medicine from laboratories to bedsides of patience.

“We are managing it well. There is social mobilisation by the government, we have also tapped into the knowledge of managing the disease like what happened during Ebola. So in terms of readiness, we are better than before. We can do better, and then what has helped us to mange the pandemic is that our scientists were able to do rapid translational medicine from laboratory straight to the bench and  from the bench to the bedside.”

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He, however, warned those still doubting the reality of the disease to take it serious. He further said if adequate precautions were not taken, the second wave of the disease would hit Nigeria hard,  especially when a lot of people were returning from various places from the Yuletide.

“Second wave of the COVID-19 was predicted, so it was more or less anticipated. It has hit America in the hard way and Britain, but we are more affected because a lot of our people would be coming home for Christmas,” Iwu said.

On how he managed the disease in Imo, Iwu replied: “I don’t want to say much because I’m the one in charge, but Imo has done so well. The governor has no role to play, but the key component is the response of Imo people, and we are trying to carry them along. Fatigue has set in so we have to keep encouraging them, especially now we are talking about the second wave.”