COVID-19: Presidency assures victims of quality healthcare, says virus not a death sentence

The Presidency has assured that all those who tested positive to the deadly Coronavirus (COVID-19) would receive adequate medical attention, saying Coronavirus was not a death sentence.

Mr Femi Adesina, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, gave the assurance while fielding questions from State House correspondents in Abuja on Wednesday.

The presidential aide, who cited the recovery of the index case to buttress his point, emphasised that anybody that tested positive should not panic as the virus was curable.

“We also will pray along with the persons, give them our goodwill and best wishes and they will surely come out of it. Even the index case in Nigeria recovered and has been discharged.

“God that has shown us mercy thus far and will continue to show that mercy. Anybody that test positive is not a death sentence, they will be attended to, they will be tested and they will be fine,” he said.

Adesina also faulted reports that some media organisations had been banned from covering the State House, Abuja.

“Ban is a wrong word. Anybody that uses that word ban is just operating from a mindset and you know that Nigerians love conspiracy theories but this one is no conspiracy at all. There is no ban.

“What happened is that in the press gallery you have about 108 journalists in that single hall and it goes contrary to the spirit of the times.

“The time dictates that you don’t have too many people congregated in one place. Imagine 108 journalists if one of them happen to be infected with the virus, he spreads it among all the journalists.

“So, we said for now let them stay away, not much is happening for now. But we picked a certain number, representatives of the media, they will come in, and if there is anything they will cover and those outside will also not miss because they would be a system in which they can share reports.

“So, ban will be a wrong word, it will be operating from a mindset of conspiracy and there is no conspiracy here at all,’’ he said.

On other measures adopted by the presidency to curtail the spread of COVID-19, Adesina said:“Of course, you know when you come into the State House you have about three, four, five spots in which your temperature is tested and you have to sanitise your hand.

“And if you come in and your temperature is way above a certain figure, then you will be advised to go for test and take care of yourself.

“So, I think so far so good. Before you will go into the general area you will meet about three areas of test and before you get into the President’s area you will meet like another two.

“I believe that a lot has been done to ensure that those who operate in the presidency are take care of.”