Since the outbreak of novel coronavirus in Wuhan, China, the world has grown to an epicentre of worry and anxiety. By 29 January 2020, the virus had reportedly spread to all provinces of Mainland China.
Over 724 had died of the coronavirus infection-associated pneumonia and 34,878 were confirmed to be infected. This had occurred by February 8, 2020.
In Hubei alone, there were 24,953 cases of infections and 699 related deaths. All provinces of Mainland China had initiated the highest response level to a public health emergency. Given the growing global concern, on January 31, the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared the outbreak a “public health emergency of international concern” for fear that the virus spread beyond China to where there is no robust healthcare system, despite its confidence in China’s efforts.
Countries with confirmed cases include Canada, United States, Cambodia, India, Japan, Macau, Malaysia, Nepal, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, among others.
Interestingly, reports indicate that Africa has no confirmed cases of the virus. Yet there are concerns in various quarters of the readiness of the continent to address an outbreak of the virus should it occur.
At the moment, the WHO has listed Nigeria among 13 other African countries where an outbreak of the coronavirus is possible. These countries, including Nigeria, are Algeria, Angola, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Mauritius, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia.
ALSO READ: Buhari not listening to anyone ― PDP
135 passengers test positive for virus aboard cruise ship
About 3,700 passengers and crew on a cruise ship docked in Japan were reportedly being quarantined on the vessel after people tested positive for the coronavirus. The number of novel coronavirus cases on the Diamond Princess cruise ship nearly doubled to 135, posing dilemmas for Japan as it weighs testing all of the more than 3,500 people on board. The ship which took off from China for Japan was stopped for quarantine when it docked in Yokohama, south of Tokyo.
Why Nigeria stands at risk
While it is indeed true that Nigeria, like some other African countries that dealt with the Ebola outbreak, still have their isolation facilities and expertise in controlling infectious diseases, increasingly close trade links with China continue to peak concerns about a possible spread of the coronavirus into the African continent.
According to Chinese state media, there are over one million Chinese nationals living in Africa. Since Nigeria remains the largest country in Africa and considering China’s huge trade presence and links in Nigeria, it is, therefore, clear to conclude that a large percentage of Chinese nationals in Africa are resident in Nigeria. Aside from this reality, there are reports of over a hundred thousand African nationals studying in China, with Nigeria with a possible bigger percentage.
What we are doing to safeguard our airports —FAAN
Given the huge traffic of Nigerian and Chinese nationals travelling between the two countries, there are growing concerns over the readiness of the airports in spotting infected entrants into Nigeria.
Following these observations, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has since stepped up its activities since the news of the outbreak of the disease emerged.
Speaking with the TribuneOnline, the spokesperson of FAAN, Mrs Henrietta Yakubu stated that, “FAAN has always had thermal scanners in her airports that monitor the temperature of passengers and capture their pictures. When passengers walk pass the scanner, it registers their temperature and if too high, they are pulled aside for observation.”
The Regional Manager, Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Mrs Victoria Shin-Aba has stated that FAAN has activated public health emergency system and all stakeholders involved with air travel is being carried along.
According to her, “We have directed all our staff members who have anything to do with passengers to be more careful while processing them. We have also issued directives that anyone suspected to be exposed to the virus should be immediately quarantined.
“We have also involved the Lagos state government and we are strictly abiding by the health emergency plan. We are prepared for this because before the coronavirus, we were working on a similar problem and that made us be more prepared.”
TribuneOnline also observed that all passengers on landing at the international airports are made to file through a specially designated area where they are made to walk through thermal scanners positioned on the passenger’s forehead to observe their temperature and other symptoms before such a passenger is allowed to proceed to the immigration desk for profiling and cleared to enter the airport by officials of the Port Health waiting on ground.
Apart from the primary screening of passengers, airport users are directed to comply with all quarantine procedures and submit themselves for routine quarantine checks. Passengers with a temperature above or equal to 38 degree Celsius, jaundice, skin rash, persistent diarrhoea and cough, difficulty in breathing, complaints of headache, neck stiffness, decreased consciousness, lethargy, unexplained bleeding, as well as persistent vomiting would be referred to secondary screening.
Nigeria’s readiness not reassuring—Dr Okupe
Medical doctor and Senior Special Assistant on Public Affairs to former President Goodluck Jonathan (2010 – 2015), Dr Doyin Okupe stated that Nigeria’s readiness was not reassuring. He, therefore, called on the nation’s health authorities to provide “facilities close to our international airport that can quarantine up to between 3000 to 5000 people at a time. It can be replicated in designated international airports elsewhere, in the country.”
He added that the authorities must “train at least 1000 staff that can handle and screen potential carriers; acquire machines and equipment that can screen effectively and quickly some 1000 potential patients in 24hrs. All foreign nationals including Chinese citizens must be quarantined and screened on arrival.”
Our public hospitals can’t cope in case of an outbreak—Professor Akande
Former National Chairman of the Association of Public Health Physicians of Nigeria, Professor Tanimola Akande said in case of a coronavirus, public hospitals in Nigeria cannot cope.
According to him, “The best thing is for coronavirus not to come at all to Nigeria. We do not have all the necessary measures that should be in place; very few hospitals have what is called Personal Protective Equipments (PPE) and isolation place where they could be kept; that is a major challenge.”
Professor Akande, a public health expert at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, declared that even the level of suspicion of coronavirus is very low in Nigeria. It would have caught up with many people before we get to know that we are handling a particular problem. And by the time, we know that we are handling such a problem, many hospitals do not have protocol put in place on their treatment.”
NMA cautions health workers on observance of international best practices
President, Nigerian Medical Association, Dr Francis Faduyile, in a chat with the TribuneOnline, stated that although the government has put some measures in place to man its posts and borders, health workers importantly should observe precautions based on international best practices.
The NMA president emphasised increased awareness on coronavirus because Nigeria has a lot of business interests all over the world, being the most populated black nation and as such very vulnerable.
We don’t have facility to diagnose coronavirus—UCH
Chief Medical Director, University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, Professor Abiodun Otegbayo, however, assured that UCH, Ibadan, already have in place an emergency response team and an infectious disease response team in place, in case any coronavirus or other infectious diseases like Lassa fever is brought into the hospital.
Professor Otegbayo said that the hospital has a holding bay that was built during the Ebola crisis. According to him, “We have nurses and doctors in the bay. I was there on Wednesday with some of my staff to inspect the place in line with the preparation for coronavirus infection.”
He said the head of the hospital’s Emergency Response Team, Professor Kayode Osungbade is in contact with World Health Organisation and Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) as to what to do in case there is a suspected case of coronavirus at the hospital.
He stated that UCH does not have the facility to diagnose coronavirus, adding “but we can suspect and collect samples; we are on the lookout for any suspected case.”
There are lapses which are increasing Nigeria’s vulnerability to an outbreak—Professor Tomori
Chairman, National Lassa Control Committee, Professor Oyewale Tomori stated that although Nigeria is preparing to curtail any case of coronavirus that comes into the country, there are lapses that further increase the vulnerability of the country to the virus.
Tomori, a professor of virology and chairman, Nigeria Expert Review Committee (ERC) on Poliomyelitis Eradication and Routine Immunization said “When I was coming in on Sunday, last week, at the Lagos airport, there was only one place where they were checking our temperature with a big screen at the airport. So somebody was monitoring, but what I noticed was that about 4 or 5 people who were ahead of me passed through that place without the person even looking at the screen. She was talking to somebody else. But the woman was supposed to have her eyes glued to the screen.
“So, it is not all about what the government puts in; it is how the people themselves consider their jobs as important. Like the lady who was not looking at the screen, she does not fully understand why she must monitor the screen.
“The most important thing is, do not let it (coronavirus) enter. And to me, the most important person is that person at the monitoring point. We should tell her that she should take her work seriously because she is more important than the lab person than me who will run around the country.”
We have an isolation centre close to the international airport in Abuja—Health Minister
The Federal Government is also not leaving any stone unturned in its efforts and preparation to contain the disease in case of its importation to the country. The Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, said that any Coronavirus carrier arriving the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, would be quarantined immediately at the Isolation Centre, University of Abuja Teaching Hospital (UATH) Gwagwalada, Abuja.
He also pointed out that such preparation has been put in place in Lagos and Kaduna where the government had isolation centres, ready for an emergency in case the virus is imported to Nigeria.
He mentioned that there is an Isolation Centre prepared in the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital (UATH) Gwagwalada, Abuja, where possible suspected cases arriving the country through Abuja, could be quarantined. The Minister said he had inspected the centre some days ago.
Giving a further update on the level of the country’s preparedness, the minister pointed out that the welfare of the about 60 Nigerians living in Wuhan, the affected area in China is being monitored closely.
He spoke on measures taken so far by the Federal Government through the Health Ministry, relevant parastatals and Agencies to prevent the importation of coronavirus into Nigeria. He also gave the assurance on the level of preparedness in case of any eventuality.
Ehanire said that currently, “there is no case of Coronavirus in Nigeria” but he hinted that surveillance activities have been scaled up at Airports, while doctors are sharing information on how to test and handle suspected cases. He also stated that the health sector is expanding her public health laboratories across the country in order to meet up with the requirements needed to diagnose coronavirus, based on WHO standards.
As part of the efforts, he said the government has given out phone numbers which Nigerians can call in case of any suspected sign of Coronavirus. He added that the People’s Republic of China was also doing everything humanly possible to ensure that every passenger travelling in and out of China is being screened, more hospitals are being constructed and scientists are not resting on their oars in finding a lasting solution to the disease.
Our doctors, medical personnel already on standby – National Hospital
The management of the National Hospital, Abuja, said it has put in place measures to confront, tackle and immediately contain any case of the virus entering into Nigeria.
The head, Information and Protocol/Management, of the hospital, Tayo Haastrup, spoke with TribuneOnline on the state of preparedness of the hospital. According to him, “The basic thing now is that this issue of Coronavirus in China is all over the world; everybody is aware that it has been declared a global emergency. What we have put in place is to create awareness within the system.
“We are aware that people can travel but the system we put up here have envisaged that and put that into consideration. All the symptoms are also known by all the medics. By the time they found out and have the awareness that this might have the risk factor then we quickly find a way of contacting those who are necessary to contact. We generally give awareness all over the places. So, that is the situation for now and that is what the management has done for now. Our doctors and other personnel are on standby.”
Nigeria can tackle Coronavirus— Consultant Microbiologist
Also speaking, a Consultant Clinical Microbiologist and chairman of Infection Prevention Control of the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Dr Thairu Yunusa stated that the measures put in place, Nigeria is ready to contain the Coronavirus if it breaks out.
In an interaction with the TribuneOnline, Dr Yunusa said many disease detection centres have been activated across the country in readiness for the outbreak of Coronavirus.
“The proactiveness of the Federal Ministry Health in conjunction with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and two reference centres in the North and the southern part of the country can take care of the disease, taking into consideration where these diseases may likely come in,” he said.
and then