By Atibile Prince Williams
Since the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared coronavirus a global pandemic, both economic, political, social and religious activities have remained on a standstill, forcing world leaders to teel the medical grounds like hungry Lioness in search of survival.
Nigeria is not left out of this panic as it has joined the rest of the world in mobilizing her arsenals towards taming the spread of the virus.
However, the urgly trend of diverting attention is on the increase as those saddled with the responsibility of knocking the scourge now peddle more fears than hope, and more falsehood than truth. Little Wonder some state governors have joined this reckless bandwagon in feeding fat from the nation’s coffers at the expense of the generality of the people.
In bid to aleniate itself from such evil practices, the Cross River State Commissioner for Health, Dr Betta Edu, told newsmen in Calabar recently that some Officials of the Nigerian Centre for Diseases Control (NCDC) are alledged to be sending SMSs inducing some residents of the state to fake their corona status in order for it to penetrate the state.
While many were still pondering on such callousness, a team from the same Agency that visited Kogi state, left in anger because Gov Yahaya Bello insisted on 14 days isolation for it members to ascertain their health status before discharging it duties in state. These actions of theirs (NCDC) have left many sound minds asking, why appear before equity with ‘uncleaned’ hands? As if that is not enough, the logger head between Benue State index case, Mrs Susan Idoko and government is still lurking like a wounded Python.
To further drowned Nigerians in this sinking ship, the Presidential Task Force against all advise from the Nigerian Medical Association, gave a standing ovation to 15 Chinese medical personnel at the Nnamdi Azikiwe airport Abuja. Minister of Health, Dr Ehinary Osagie, in one his media briefings at the PTF, admitted that the August visitors were in the country to share firsthand information with their Nigerian counterparts. He went further to say the foreign doctors are been consulted virtually even while in isolation at a facility of CCECC in Abuja. Today, the Minister seems to speak from both sides of his mouth leaving Nigerians more perplexed than he met them.
The current reality shows that the political undertone associated with the fight against covid-19 is more visible than the dreaded pandemic itself. After all, 97% success story is greater and better than just 3% fatalities.
While Nigerians are enjoined to adhere to medical guidelines as a means of preserving lives, they deserve to know the true state of things especially at this critical moment.
More so, emphasis should be given to the distribution of palliative to cushion the effects of the lockdown as a hungry man in all cases is an angry man.
