COVID-19 still prevalent in Nigeria — Don raises alarm

A Professor of Mathematics at the Federal University of Technology Minna, Niger State, Professor Niniola Akinwande, has expressed concern that the COVID-19 pandemic has not gone yet, adding that it is still prevalent.

The university professor further noted that given the resurgence of COVID-19 in China, a destination frequently visited by many Nigerians, there is a pressing need for Nigerians to exercise caution to mitigate its impact.

Professor Akinwande made these remarks on the sidelines of the commencement of a Mathematics Model Research Group Workshop on control strategies for the COVID-19 transmission pandemic, held at the Department of Mathematics, FUTMinna, Main Campus, Gidan Kwano, on Thursday in Minna.

He recommended an assertive media campaign as a crucial step in alleviating any disease. He emphasized that stakeholders should aim to reach at least 75 per cent of the population to educate them on disease prevention methods and the importance of receiving double-dose vaccinations.

He also stressed the importance of regular surveillance of Nigerian borders to prevent new cases of COVID-19 in the country.

Prof. Akinwande also pointed out that part of their research findings indicate that any COVID-19 vaccine used should have an efficacy rate of not less than 70 per cent.

He highlighted that anything less would yield ineffective results. He attributed the low number of COVID-19 cases in Nigeria to a subpar response and record-keeping.

Furthermore, in his remarks, the Head of the Department of Mathematics at FUTMinna, Professor Abdullahi Enagi, appealed to the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), which provided them with a grant for the COVID-19 research, to expedite the release of the remaining funds to avoid hindering their research progress.

Prof. Enagi stated that the purpose of this research is to illustrate that although Mathematics is abstract, it is applicable to practical situations, and this is one such area where Mathematics is applied to control the spread of diseases.

In a message to the workshop, Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology Minna, Prof. Faruk Kuta, commended the researchers for their work, which has been published in several highly regarded journals worldwide.

The research team comprises members from four universities in Nigeria, including FUT Minna, Federal University Birnin Kebbi, Joseph Tarka University Makurdi, and Benue State University.

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