NMA President lists steps to preventing socio economic effect of Lassa fever, Coronavirus
– Steve Ovirih.
Dr. Francis Adedayo Faduyile , President Nigeria Medical Association, (NMA) has appealed to Nigerians not to allow fear to get the better of them on the apparent high fatality of coronavirus (covid 19). In the same vein, Dr. Faduyile has recommended the best approach to preventing the socio- economic effect of both covid 19 and the earlier raging Lassa fever in Nigeria.
He admitted that so many things are yet unknown about Covid 19, yet the virus, he noted was not as lethal as assumed by the generality of the public even as he averred that the fatality rate was specifically between 0.2 to 3% as it depends on co- morbidty and age.
He stressed particularly the fact that in order to contain both covid 19 and Lassa fever, sensitisation, infection prevention and community education are the key.
To contain the spread of the virus, Faduyile counselled strict screening at our International air and seaports , thorough contact tracing and very appropriate information dissemination through the mass media of television, radio , national dailies and posters. He stressed that times like this calls for concerted effort of all stakeholders so as to further strengthen Nigeria’ s core capacities to respond to public health challenges and emergency. “The Federal Government and its partners must invest in epidemic preparedness and health safety to promote and protect citizens and prevent the negative socio – economic impact linked with outbreaks like these ones we have in our hands.”
He added that in spite of the report of a case of covid 19 index record in the country, we still have a window of opportunity to act.
” With no vaccine or treatment , the most effective method of averting the spread of covid 19 is to limit transmission by identifying infected individuals as prompt as possible and ensure their isolation so as to prevent them from spreading it to others. This strategy worked perfectly in the case of the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) epidemic in 2003.”
Faduyile listed other preventive steps as maintaining severe coordination and collaboration as well as good communication among health agencies and the restriction of travels by citizens to high risk countries.
