By Bobby Oshoke
The National President of the Nigerian Youth Congress NYC, Mr Blessing Akilosotu has raised the alarm over the growing cases of emergency virus in the country calling on government to take measures in curtailing the spread.
Akilosotu stated this in Abuja during a one day national symposium on “Assessment of western policies against Covid 19”
He noted that emerging viruses like monkey pox and hepatitis are yet to get the required attention from government stating that this has to change as the nation cannot afford to go to sleep with the experience of Covid-19.
” Covid is still with us, new viruses are emerging we cannot afford to be laid back in an epidemic situation, we have to learn from the Chinese government’s dynamic zero-out policy which is working efficiently, we cannot afford to joke with the health of our people”
He noted that the current epidemic of childhood hepatitis and monkeypox in the country could be as a result of getting too relaxed about which may spell doom in the long run.
The purpose of the symposium he said was not only to draw attention to how government was able to tackle Covid-19 but also to draw on the lessons learnt in dealing with emerging infectious viral diseases like monkey pox and hepatitis and lessons that can be learnt from other climes like China, which has proven to be number one in containment of the pandemic among its citizens.
“We have all seen the results of the pandemic on the nation and on the world at large. We hope that great lessons have been learnt from the pandemic moving forward. We are also here to forecast and project future remedies for emergency viruses and pandemic like monkey pox and hepatitis that afflict the world”
He expressed the readiness of his organization to collaborate with relevant stakeholders towards sensitising members of the public in dealing with emerging viruses.
Delivering the keynote address Dr. Dakum longji Benji gave some interesting facts and figures about covid 19.
He stated that since the outbreak of the pandemic over 5million individuals have been tested in Nigeria through various PCR, rapid tests and antibody tests with 256,958 confirmed cases, 250,117 discharged, 3,144 deaths and 3,637 cases still active as of today.
Nigeria he said has recorded the best indices in the management and case to death ratio in Africa. A feat he said the country should learn from in managing emerging virus and epidemics.
He praised the efforts of the Chinese Government in coming to the aid of the country at the height of the pandemic for providing life saving medical supplies and contributing to the building of isolation centers for the care of covid 19 patients.
” The Chinese government and people proved to be friends of the nation by lending aid in form of various medical equipment worth over 1.5 million dollars, medical and technical personnel and loans. Chinese companies in Nigeria like the CCECC and CGC also helped by building various world class isolation centres and giving palliatives to those in need”.
Also speaking at the occasion Dr. Chukwukaodinaka Nwakaego, the consultant Haemotologist and a Deputy director at FMOH called on Nigerians to go for hipatitis testing and know their status.
She encourage Nigerians to ensure take advantage of he available hipatitis vaccines as it was effective against the disease which she noted was a killer.
She revealed that studies shows that there is a prevalence of 9.5% hepatitis cases in Nigeria. Which means that about 20 million people are currently living with hepatitis B.
She however decried the low level of awarenes about the disease in the country and called for the need for more awareness so that people can come forward to take the vaccine.
Dignitries who graced the occasion include Dr. Yusuf Tanko Sanunu, Chairman, House committee on Healthcare, Dr. Dogara Okara S.A to the Minister of Health.
Others are a representative of the special guest of honour Dr. Dakun Longji Benji, who is also a consultant Public Health Physician in the Federal Ministry of Health and a National Case Management Specialist for Nigeria covid 19 preparedness and response (coPREP) project
