The Federal Government has banned the inter-state movement of individuals Infected with COVID-19.
This was disclosed by the Minister for Health, Dr. Osagie Enahire during the daily briefing of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 on Wednesday.
According to the Health Minister:
“all persons diagnosed with the virus will henceforth be treated in the state where their diagnosis was made to avoid further spread of infection”.
He warned Patent and Proprietary Medicine vendors and Pharmacists from attempting to treat COVID-19 patients if they didn’t want their licenses revoked.
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He also stated that the mysterious deaths in Kano was currently being investigated by the Chief Consultant Epidemiologist, Public Health Department of Kano State as well as 16 staff members of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).
Dr. Ehanire advised private hospitals who want to manage COVID-19 patients to apply to their individual state health Ministries for permit. They also have to meet infection prevention and control standards set by the NCDC and get accreditation from a State team in line with the Federal Ministry of Health Standards.
He advised further that individuals that suffer from hypertension, diabetes, Kidney diseases, TB, HIV and cancer should take special care and follow instructions as laid down by the NCDC.
“Government is interested in remedies that are being proposed. The Ministry of Health has a department for ‘Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicine’, so anything that is thought to have efficacy should be brought forward.
“Now we are in the community transmission phase and we have passed that era when people think that COVID-19 was something for big men and women who came from abroad.
“Now that it is in the grassroots, the role of the Primary Healthcare now comes to play and it is very important for them to do the surveillance to raise the index of suspicion.”
He concluded.