By Okhide Em’ya David
Stakeholders drawn from across multi-dimensional sectors in Edo State have called on the State government to as a matter of urgent public importance rally collective efforts and energies to prosecute the fight against spread of the dreaded coronavirus.
The recommendations emanated from a crucial stakeholders’ meeting organized by the Edo state sensitization Committee on the 2nd wave of Covid-19, in Benin City during the week.
The Stakeholders were drawn from the Civil Service, Civil Societies, Red Cross Society, Health, Education Sector, Information Management Department, National Orientation Agency, Security Agencies, Religious Groups or Faith-based groups and the Traditional Institution.
The Risk Communication Pillar Lead, Mrs. lrene Uabor, while welcoming Stakeholders to the crucial meeting said government deemed it fit to organize the event as coronavirus has since assumed a more dangerous shape while brandishing symptoms slightly at variance with the usual traits or Character.
Uabor however insisted that though the normal symptoms of Covid-19 remain cough, high fever, loss of taste, sore throat, seizures and breathing problem, the Virus has manifested severally in cases where other ailments were being treated.
She said “one can prevent the virus when such persons wash their hands regularly, wear face masks, avoid crowded places and embrace social distance.
Speaking about the vaccine, Uabor said, “We know that a lot of vaccines have been produced and it would get to Nigeria soon. My message to our people is that this is the first time we have heard of the vaccine.”
“We should have it in mind that the vaccine is harmless, and was produced to help us prevent corona virus. Even if you contact the virus, it would not lead to the disease state after you have taken the vaccine. Kindly forget the various rumor about the vaccine. The vaccine is totally save for us to take when it comes.”
Spokesperson for the State Ministry of Health, Felicia Omokaro, said government was highly committed to controlling the Covid-19 pandemic.
Felicia Omokaro who is the Chief Health Educator, State Ministry of Health, said they have carried out sensitization awareness in various places like market, bank, club, hotel and other busy areas sensitizing the people about the 2nd wave of Covid-19 pandemic.
She said they were also at various local government to inform people and called for “Collective Efforts” from all stakeholders in Edo state to put an end to the pandemic. She asserted that testing and treatment for COVID-19 patients are free.
The Health Educator announced that key stakeholders in the Education sector including Heads of Schools, Teachers and other nonacademic staff have been duly tutored on the Covid 29 protocols as students are returning to schools.
Giving the current figure on COVID-19 breakdown in the state, the Deputy Director, of National Orientation Agency NOA, in Edo state, Austin Odile, said, between 2020 to 2021 a total of 112 victims of Covid-19 have lost their lives.
Odile explained that a total of 3,721 cases have been recorded in Edo state, while 2,559 were discharged and 32 persons confirm having the disease at present. He said there is no cure for COVID-19 pandemic as for now.
At question and answer session the Obadoloye of Benin Kingdom, Chief Victor Osa Uzamere, who represented the Oba of Benin, Omo N’Oba N’Edo Ukuakpolokpolo, Oba Ewuare II, said since the emergence of the 2nd wave of Covid-19, the Oba of Benin has set up a team that goes to Markets, villages and communities to inform and sensitize the people about the pandemic.
Chief Uzamare said the Palace will do everything possible to make sure people comply with all the Covid-19 preventive measures to curb the pandemic.
He expressed appreciation to the state government, health workers and other stakeholders for their efforts in reaching out to the people.
Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Edo State chapter representative and former Director, State School of Nursing, as well as Chairperson, Edo state chapter of the National Association of Nigerian Nurses, Dr. Christiana ljeghede, said the church was ready to comply with the state government’s measures to control the pandemic.
Dr. Ijeghede said on Sundays, State Monitoring Team of CAN visits various churches to check the level of compliance such as wearing of masks, washing of hands with sanitizer and social distances.
The former number one nurse in Edo State however raised some fundamental observations on the attitude of both federal and state governments towards curtailing the excesses of Coronavirus.
She listed such attitudes to approach towards proper disposal of corpses of the disease victims or corpses of persons who died of the dreaded virus, control of crowds at commercial spots including, Banks, Markets, Drinking joints or Bars and recently places where the National Identity Numbers are being obtained.
On his part, Secretary of the Nigerian Red Cross Society, Edo state branch, Wilson Ekhomohiazin, appealed that government cannot do it alone and called for a collective efforts from all stakeholders in Edo state to control the pandemic.
The Red Cross scribe said during the first wave of Covid-19 pandemic the body deployed 30 personnel in some local government where the pandemic spread fast to join in the message to schools to schools and communities. He said the volunteers also went to houses and sensitized the people.
Others who spoke including, Dr Rowland Alabi of the Department of Disease Control, Edo State Ministry of Health, asked members of the public to go for voluntary testing as the second wave of Covid 19 has been discovered not to have any specific symptoms.
The officials of the Edo State Committee on the second wave of Covid 19 earlier announced that government had constituted tactical sub committees in the various suburbs, and communities across the State to strictly monitor and report suspected Cases of the disease for prompt medical attention and if possible isolation, and called on the people to work with such bodies.
It was a consensus that all hands must be on deck to tackle the spread of Corona Virus in the State.
