Coronavirus: ActionAid wants FG to lock down Nigeria

 

ActionAid Nigeria  has called on the federal government to issue an order to lockdown the country for the next 14 days leaving only the essential services, to enable government curtail further spread of COVID-19 virus.

This was contained in a statement issued by the NGO’s communications coordinator, Nihinlola Ayanda and made available to newsmen in Lokoja Tuesday.

The Actionaid Nigeria country Director, Mrs Ene Obi urged the federal government to also open up emergency support for hospitals already coping with the treatment and bring on board the multitude of doctors (including other health workers) that are unemployed and recall retired doctors, and not wait till the crisis is full blown.

Obi also charged state governments across the country to swiftly act by increasing the awareness on the proactive measures to prevent the spread of the virus at the grassroot level.

She said National Orientation Agency (NOA) and Ministry of Information should intensify public awareness to sensitise the masses by translating preventive guidelines to major Nigerian languages, especially on radio and other traditional means of communication.

She added that NOA should also provide simple information leaflets and posters to be circulated nationwide soonest to protect citizen’s media, particularly online mediums to fact-check and be more proactive in countering fake news.

The country director called Nigeria citizens to support government’s effort by remaining at home with family members, reporting identified cases, practicing social distancing/ self-isolation, spreading preventive messages and desist from spreading unverified information.

“We commend some of the steps taken by the Presidential Task Force on the Control of Covid-19 thus far, but more needs to be done quickly and promptly. With the cases of infected persons increasing from 3 to 36 within a week, Nigeria needs to be ready for the worst-case scenario,” she said.

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