CORONAVIRUS: CEPEJ URGES FG TO KEY INTO W.H.O GLOBAL RESEARCH AND PREPAREDNESS PLAN TO CONTROL.....

CORONAVIRUS: CEPEJ Urges FG to Key into W.H.O Global Research and preparedness Plan to Control, Manage, Ensure Prevention and Eradication of the Virus in Nigeria.

A renowned Environmental health and good governance advocacy of Non Governmental Organisation, the Center for Peace and Environmental Justice, CEPEJ, has urged the Federal Government of Nigeria to key into the $674 million, coronavirus preparedness and response global plan by W.H.O .

The National Coordinator, Comrade Mulade Sheriff made the request in Warri, Delta State over the weekend, based on the call by World Health Organisation (W.H.O) for an urgent support to protect vulnerable Countries across the world including Africa Countries marked as target due to their economic structures and Nigeria stands to be first on Africa list.

To fight the future spread of the new coronavirus (2019-ncov) out-break in China and globally and protect Countries with weaker health system, the international community has launched a $ 675 million preparedness and response plan covering the months of February through April, 2020.

CEPEJ urge the Federal Government, Ministry of Health, Agencies and the Director General of Africa Center for Disease Control ( ACDC) Dr. Chikwe Ihekweaza to use this opportunity to get itself prepared to reduce the risk of any further out-break or epidemic in Nigeria, based on the observation of the W.H.O Director - General, Dr. Tedros Adhonom Ghebreyesus " that the big worry is that , there are Countries today which do not have the system in place to detect people who have contracted the virus, even if it were to emerge "and Nigeria falls under that category.

It is also on record that, as at 5th February, 2020, 25 countries have reported and confirmed having cases of the new coronavirus, including China, where 24,363 people had contracted the virus, which is over 99% of all cases. In other countries, 191 people have contracted the virus, so there is the urgent need to bolster weak health system in Nigeria to protect, or in eventuality, to effectively diagnose and care for people with the virus, to prevent further human to human transmission and protect health workers in the country.

In line with the global treat, CEPEJ is calling on the Federal Government to act urgently to save Nigerians and should make plans through its health Agencies to set-up Laboratories across the Federation, train health / Laboratory workers in General Hospitals and Doctors to enable them identify and control the coronavirus.

The Boarders should be checked thoroughly and people properly screened and quarantined from suspected countries before granting them entrance into the country to prevent an out break which would be quite colossal.

CEPEJ on its part out- lined some basic focus plan which can help the Federal Government to reduce the spread if peradventure there is an out break. It includes Rapidly establishing internal coordination and operation support in the country. Sealing up the Readiness by W.H.O and respond quickly to it operations. Accelerating research and innovation against the out-brake to prevent the spread.

It also suggested some simple health plans that can reduce the spread. Good personal hygiene, regular handwashing, proper sanitization and consciousness of the environment. CEPEJ add that, if the Federal Government through its Health and Environmental Agencies key into this plan by W.H.O it will help to prevent the coronavirus epidemic in Nigeria.