Minister, NCDC boss meet Buhari over lockdown, Kano deaths

The President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), on Sunday, received briefing from the Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire; and the Director General, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, Chikwe Ihekweazu, on the latest development on coronavirus and the reported strange disease in Kano State.

Ehanire, who spoke to State House correspondents on the outcome of the closed-door meeting in Abuja, said they briefed the President on the activities and overall positions of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19.

The briefing of Buhari by the minister and the NCDC boss came barely 24 hours before the expiration of the 14-day extension to a lockdown in Lagos, Ogun and the Federal Capital Territory to combat the pandemic.

The President had, on April 13, announced a 14-day extension to a lockdown in the three territories to combat the deadly virus.

The minister said the PTF presented to the President its advice and recommendations on way forward as regards the ongoing fight against the spread of the deadly virus in the country. He said, “We also brought the overall summary apposition of the Presidential Task Force which as you know comprises of not only the health ministry but other ministries.”

According to Ehanire, the country is winning the fight against the pandemic as all relevant health institutions have agreed to work together to achieve the desired goal of defeating the novel coronavirus.

He said, “We have developed a strong strategy as we are working with other experts groups like the NCDC and relevant health organisations. So, we are also working with the states and the governors.” The minister, who also spoke on the reported strange disease in Kano, said his ministry had been communicating with relevant agencies, as well as the Kano State Government with a view to addressing the health problem.

He said, “We will continue to build up our testing strategies. At the moment, 14 testing centres have been activated across the country.

“We want to bring the test closer to every state. Everybody is working very hard to solve this problem. I can see that some people are already procuring Rapid Diagnostic Test Kits.

“They don’t work as far as we know. So, I will really recommend that we all stick to the national strategy, build on it, support its expansion and together we will get on top of the pandemic.’’

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