Nigeria’s response to COVID-19 excites WHO – Minister

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, says the World Health Organisation (WHO) is impressed with the Federal Government‘s response to the outbreak of Coronavirus (COVID-19) in Nigeria.

Mohammed said this when he featured on a TVC News flagship programme titled “State of the Nation”, monitored by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Abuja.

The minister said that so far only one confirmed positive case of Coronavirus had been recorded, adding that the case is been manage adequately.

According to him, Nigeria leverage on its experience in handling the Ebola case to contain outbreak of the COVID-19.

Mohammed explained that about nine countries had recorded about 44 cases of people with the virus in Africa.

“Today in Nigeria we have only one confirmed case and we have tested about 23 cases that have been reported in Ogun, Lagos, Kano and FCT.

“But so far to the best of my knowledge only one case had been confirmed to be positive and it is been managed.

“I say with all sense of modesty that Nigeria leverage it experience in handling the case of Ebola to contain the coronavirus.

“Two days ago, the World Health Organisation (WHO) congratulated and commended Nigeria on the exemplary manner we have been handling the coronavirus.

“So it is not just a matter of luck; it is a fact that the moment the coronavirus broke out, the Federal Government set up an Inter Ministerial MultiSectoral Committee to handle this public health emergency.

“The committee which was made up ministries of Health, Interior, Aviation, Humanitarian Affairs, Information and Culture, The Federal Aviation Authority, the Nigeria Port Authority, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority and the Nigeria Immigration Service.

“Others are the Nigeria Customs Service and supported by the International Organisations such as the World Bank, WHO, United States Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, the West African Centre for Response and other NGOs to handle response to the coronavirus.

“And that is what is responsible for the success recorded so far,” he said.

The minister said that the world had recognised the ability and capacity of Nigeria to handle the coronavirus.

He assured that the Ministry of Information and Culture would continue to intensify awareness campaign to enlighten Nigerians on preventive measures against the global endemic.