Now we must come to terms with the reality of our times. Covid 19 is here big time. Presently we are at the begining of the ascending phase of the incidence curve. The minister of health announced that several contact cases are on the run or are into hiding. Terrible bad news. Now two broad issues I will like to touch on.
1. How prepared are we or capable of handling a possible ravaging outbreak of the virus.
For a fact we are unprepared and lack capacity to contain anything out of the ordinary.
Tests are still being done mainly in Lagos and Abuja. Not good enough.
What we have majorly available are quarantine centres and they also exist In Lagos, abuja and a few more cities.
We now need serious treatment centres for many that will be infected and will fall ill. Soon they will be in their hundreds. Presently health workers do not have protective kits for themselves so in major hospitals nationwide doctors and nurses clerk patients at a 6ft distance. Nobody can look after the sick this way. But nobody can suggest that health workers must be suicidal. Majority of the kits required are not manufactured in nigeria. Unfortunately the countries that produce them also need more than they produce. So nobody will sell to us.
One of the equipment that is essential for survival of critical cases is the VENTILATOR. We just dont have any tangible number. I am told that UCH probably has the highest number as a hospital, in the country, and that is less than 10!!! If 50 cases show up its nunc dimitis for the majority.
State governments must brace up in ad hoc provision for emergency treatment centres. They must commence building of makeshift facility centres built with woods and planks. Lagos should have additional bed spaces for 300 to 500 cases. Which can be done in max of 6wks. Other states can do 100 to 200 additional bed spaces. Locally made beds will suffice for now.
We need more nurses and health care givers. We can call on those on retirement to re enrole to help.
2. From the government’s perspective, an official nationwide lockdown may be inevitable. But the effect on the poor may be more devastating than that of covid 19. The latter kills a max of 3% of the people infected, whereas, hunger and food deprivation, if sustained for up to 30days may kill 10% to 20% of the population. This will be scandalous and even wicked.
This is because the people at the lower end of the socio economic ladder, rely on daily income or revenue to survive and keep their families alive. We dont have food reserves nor distributive infrastructural network to send food to poor citizens. May be if we can quickly organise our selves into communal groups which will be funded by the state and well to do citizens in our various communities we can ameliorate the sufferings which the imposition of a rational and necessary lockdown may bring.
May the Almighty God save our country and it’s people from the terrible socioeconomic consequences of this scourge called covid 19.
