President Muhammadu Buhari Sunday received briefing from members of the Presidential Task Force on the Control of COVID-19 headed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Mr Boss Mustapha.
The president would address Nigerians following the expiration of the first phase of the gradual easing of the lockdown that was imposed on the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Kano, Lagos and Ogun states and other parts of the country.
Fielding questions from State House correspondents after briefing the president, the SGF warned against flouting the guidelines of the relaxed lockdown, stressing that virus is going no where at least for the next two months.
He said COVID-19 is a marathon race and not 100 meters dashed, adding that no vaccine is in the horizon yet and would take about 18 months before vaccines would be confirm for human use.
He said the PTF was worried about the response of Nigerians to the pandemic. “That is one of the set backs that I can say. There was a poll that was conducted over the last two weeks covering all facets of segments and demography of people, 99 percent of Nigerians said they are aware of COVID-19, they have listened to publicity materials, jingles and the information that has been put out there by the ministry of information and the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control.
“But different percentages that have different perspective, some 26 percent said that they are immune, with that kind of a mindset, when someone said he is immune, it means that he will not use the face mask, he will not observe social distancing, he will not stay at home when he is supposed to stay at home. And different percentages have ascribed different levels of understanding of what COVID-19 is.
“But the most important thing is for us to drive home community ownership, let the community understand that there is a COVID-19 that is deadly, that can ravage their health and their wealth and the most important thing for them to do is for them to take personal responsibility in dealing with it. And how do they take responsibility?
“All of them should be overseers of their communities, watch out for people who have symptoms and urged them to report at the nearest health facility and get tested and if they are confirmed positive, their contacts can be traced and they will be taken into care, that is the most important thing to do.
“COVID-19 is not going to go away in the next one or two months, whoever tells you that is not being realistic. No vaccine is in the horizon, we are talking about 18 months to two years before vaccines would be confirm for human use as far as COVID-19. And unless we get there, it means is that it will remain.
“It might have cycles, after the first cycle of pandemic, they might be a relief, there can be a resurgence and that is evidenced all over the world. It has happened before as is the nature of infections. So, I believe that what we are going to do now as a taskforce is to come down to the level of having the communities take ownership of the response.
“We have developed a national response which has been cascaded to the states but the communities must plug into the national response. Where we have primary health care centres all over the country, they can be used as stations of reporting of surveillance within a particular community, of tracing, of tracking so that we can take out those that we suspect have exhibited symptoms or have come in contact with people who have exhibited symptoms for testing and isolation. That way you plug them out of the community and reduce the risk of transmission. That is basically what we are working on,” he said.
He said the Presidential Task Force has been emphasizing the need for a paradigm shift to community responsibility to control the spread of Coronavirus in the country.
“We believe we have gotten to the stage of community transmission and the only way you can deal with community transmission is when you give the responsibility back to the community, not in terms of treating people, no.
“In terms of being conscious and aware of the fact that this thing is in our community and we have the collective resolve to ensure that we protect our people, particularly the aged, the sick, the ones that have underlying health conditions that are easily susceptible to the fatalities of COVID-19. And that is why as a task force we have stood very strong against congregations,” he said.
On the president‘s response, the SGF said the president was satisfied that Nigeria, in spite of its poor health care system, has been able to to take proactive steps in tackling the pandemic.
“The president expressed his satisfaction that in spite of the difficulties and the fact that as a nation, we lack the capable infrastructure looking at what is happening to the developed world, where countries that have traditionally established health institutions with all the palliatives, with all the privileges, with all the schemes that guide its people have crumble as a result of COVID-19.
“We are still standing and doing our best under the circumstances to ensure that we provide the necessary direction. So, he expressed his satisfaction with the PTF, the Minister of Health and Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, which are integral part of the taskforce and all the multi-sectoral ministries and are involved in this work – the armed forces, the police, the kind of cooperation we have received from them, without them we wouldn’t have recorded the modest successes that we have achieved. So, he expressed his appreciation that have contributed to where we are today. Our numbers are going up but you have to consider that our mortality too is not as drastic as it’s being expected,” he said.
He said the Presidential Task Force also supplied President Buhari with all the materials that are required to look at the issues.
“Because, we are in for the long hurl, this is not a short distance race, is a marathon and we have to keep everything in perspective. But remember on the 27th of April, he addressed the nation and placed the easing down of the lockdown effective from the 4th of May. From the 4th of May to date is about 13 days, tomorrow (Monday) we should expect new processes to be put in place.
“But we have to give him all the material details that will help us in preparing for the future. So that is why we are here,” he said.
