Nigerian Government May kill More Nigerians than CORONA VIRUS

The now dreaded Corona Virus AKA COVID-19 was at first to me a conspiracy theory. Nevertheless, I keenly followed reports on it on BBC, CNN and Aljazeera as the number of cases for both infected persons and death doubled, tripled and skyrockets in Asia, Europe, and America.
Considering the rate at which the pandemic was spreading and how great nations in Asia, Europe and America were becoming helpless, I knew Africa cannot escape it. But what I didn't know was that African countries and Nigeria especially would be ill-prepared.

Corona virus first emerged in Wuhan, China in December last year. Reason the Corona virus is nicknamed COVID-19.
Shortly thereafter, Wuhan, a city of 11 million and the capital of central Hubei province, virtually went into total lockdown.

The flu-like virus has since spread to 152 countries worldwide. However, some have succeeded to contain and push back the spread. Note worthy are China, South Korea and Singapore.
China for instance, didn't waste time. With the reality of COVID-19 on its hands, it adopted very strict measures to tackle the disease. Some of which were; building hospitals in days, rapid testing protocols, and technology that attempted to trace all 80,000-plus virus cases.

According to World Health Organization's Dr. Bruce Aylward, in China, patients who were confirmed to have the corona virus were either sent to an isolation center or hospital.  "In Wuhan, in the beginning, it was 15 days from getting sick to hospitalization," he said. "They got it down to two days from symptoms to isolation."
The government also made clear that testing for the new virus was free, and COVID-19-related charges that weren't covered by a person's insurance would be paid for by the government.

Although, a critical look at the situation, one ought to suspect the Chinese for spreading the disease, containing it on its soil, claiming to have a vaccine while the whole world is in darkness as more death are recorded daily.

At the same time, whether China has deliberately done this to proof it strength to the west or not, one must commend the poli-tacticality, and responsiveness of the Chinese government and the solidarity of it citizens.
In the same vein, one must not fail in pointing out the foolishness and irresponsibility of most African countries especially Nigeria who claims to be the giant of Africa.

Countries such as, America, Britain, South Korea etc had prepared for the pandemic. They had advanced plans that would work best for their system to curtail the disease and cater for their citizens.
Africa! Our dear Africa folded her hands and didn't make any plans.  She was just there watching COVID-19 spreading abroad. Even Nigeria, the said giant of Africa couldn't conscientize the continent until she was caught unaware.

Now, she's trapped by the deadly pandemic. Egypt is the worst-hit country, with 495 corona virus cases and at least 36 confirmed deaths so far while Nigeria has recorded 135 cases and two deaths already.
Not only is Nigeria infected cases becoming threatening, she has the highest set of irresponsible, selfish, good-for-nothing lazy lout and wicked leaders.

Over and over again, the Nigerian leadership space has proven her self-centredness and gross irresponsibility via feasting on the collective wealth and lackadaisical attitude to matter of urgent national attention.

Recently, it took the dragging and whipping of President Muhammadu Buhari by Australian Imam Tawhidi {Imam of Peace} and the collective efforts of Nigerians on Twitter for the president to address the nation on the scourge of COVID-19 bedeviling the nation. That nation-wide address that brought decorum and reposed some confidence in the president won't have happened.

But why on Earth should a leader varnish into thin air or be missing in action in a time of global pandemic for which his nation is not spared?
What sort of cabinet make excuses for a failing president when they ought to give him the right advice to tackle the cause of their failure head-on and proof their onus to the citizenry?

Suffice to state that, it took like forever for Nigeria to prepare for the pandemic and giving the way figures are coming in, God forbid, but chances are Nigeria may become an epiccentre in Africa. Infact, the irresponsibility of Government and poor medical service delivery in the country already give credence to this.

As at today, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control have reported 135 cases and 2 death, yet the Nigerian Government action to contain the spread of the pandemic and the NCDC officials handling of cases is still slow, poor and selective?
China built two new 1,000-1,300-bed hospitals to fight the corona virus, one created in six days, and the second in 15 days, using prefabricated modules.
This isn't the first time China has quickly manufactured hospitals dedicated to handling outbreaks. During the 2002-2003 SARS outbreaks, Beijing built a hospital in seven days with 7,000 people working day and night.

Other buildings got repurposed to support more corona virus patients, too. "They would convert a training center or a stadium in between 24 and 72 hours," Aylward said. "That was the time frame they took in Wuhan to increase by a thousand their capacity."
In Nigeria, the government is not building new hospitals to fight the Corona virus, but finds it difficult to equip existing hospitals with state of the heart equipments, building seized by EFCC are laying fallow. The government is not putting them to use for the common good.

A good numbers of Nigerians who do not wield political power, but who deemed it pertinent to be tested have called and some who visited the NCDC office have lamented the sentiment with which cases are handled by the officials.
Many alleged the NCDC officials of turning them down, or sending them away to go observed 14-days isolation first. With their experiences with the NCDC officials, some concluded that, only politicians and influential Nigerians are attended to/tested. Poor Nigerians are abandoned and who knows many Nigerians may have been infected already.

What is wrong with us in this country self?
Judging by the way the virus is spreading easily, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control like it Chinese counterpart must go digital in tracing every single case. Emergency centers must be set up to tracking the virus across the nation, using huge screens that show every disease cluster.

Journalists, doctors, politicians, international business Moguls and celebrities who had contacts with high risk countries but fail to share their traveling history with Government or refused to submit themselves willingly for testing should be punished for attempting to endanger innocent Nigerians.

Any Nigerian who suspects he/she is having the virus should be tested without sentiment and to avoid overwhelming effect more health workers or volunteers should be welcomed.

Moreover, it appears the Federal and States Government relies on private donations to fight the pandemic. No serious Government does this. The Federal and state government must see this period as a critical one and as such make painful sacrifice to safe citizens.
The federal and state government must appropriate fund to expand the health sector in terms of man power and capital, and must be ready to strip themselves of some unnecessary benefit and provide stimulus packages for all.

Without efficient stimulus packages to cater for Nigerians, the stay at home regulation would lack substance and indeed seems government deliberate strategy to kill Nigerians. Cause, the average Nigerians who survive on daily income would go on hunger strike and die eventually.
Currently, the government of the United States of America approved an historic $2.2 trillion Stimulus Bill for Americans to cater for them during this crisis and each citizen would get $441, 000.

India is to spend $22.5 Billion to help the Poor Survive Corona virus. They also promised to provide food and sustenance. Again, while battling Corona virus, China didn't just shutdown Wuhan, it made arrangements for shops to supply food supplies to residents in Wuhan communities. We must learn from these.

In paragraph 54, of President Muhammadu Buhari's speech last Saturday, the president directed that the conditional cash transfer should be given in advance of two months. Affirming that, they have always done this and thus, have directed immediate cash transfer to the poorest and most vulnerable households in the country.
The president said in furtherance, Because of this COVID-19, the vulnerable groups have to expanded, because we are aware that there are people who live on daily wage, so we are also going to look at those groups of people to see how we can get this food relief intervention to them in this period.

Today, the Nation woke up into the news from Mrs. Sadiya Farouk, minister of humanitarian affairs, disaster management and social development, saying the ministry has commenced cash transfer to poorest households in the country to cushion effect of the corona virus pandemic.
This was announced to the public by the minister during a press briefing by the presidential task force on the disease in Abuja, on Monday.

Wait first, what method was adopted to identify the poorest households in Nigeria? Can they show the list of the said households to Nigerians so Nigerians will be sure it reflected the captured households?
Without doubt, this must be business as usual? The poor households or vulnerable Nigerians would be shortchanged and this money will end in the hands of the greedy political class.

Nigerians have always doubted the integrity of her Leaders and here again, they are about to prove they can't be trusted. Not even while the nation is experiencing a serious pandemic that has shutdown businesses and would send average Nigerians into hunger strike.
The president must swing into action to ensure this fund get to the said vulnerable and not swallowed by Snake or fish.
The president must also give directive for regular power supply across the country, ensure cut down on electricity tariff, regulate prices of household goods and compel free test on COVID-19 and free medical treatment in all government owned hospitals.

The president must engage, and motivate the Nigerian Science community. Insure their lives, future and families. Release fund to them and have them embark on tireless researches. They must come up with a cure.
The president must collaborate with other African nations and global Leaders on ending this pandemic.
He must address the nation from time to time to win the solidarity of citizens while he and his team remain at the forefront of the battle.

He must engage the best brain in the medical sciences that are of Nigerian origin. Appeal to them the nation needs them in this trying time and Order their evacuation back home.

I even suggest that he should not ignore the place of Trado-medical practitioners.
In all, president Muhammadu Buhari and his team must do all needed to arrest the spread of Corona Virus, cure it and cater adequately for Nigerians in this trying time. Lest kill Nigerians with hunger and criminality than Corona virus will do.

Ikuemonisan Bababo
Email: bababo.mikuemonisan@gmail.com