The Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH), says Nigeria will emerge with a strengthened health system at the end of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic outbreak in the country.
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The Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, gave the assurance on Friday in Abuja, at a media update on COVID-19 pandemic.
Ehanire said that the COVID-19 outbreak represented an opportunity for the nation to strengthen its health systems across the country.
The minister said that the Federal Government was working to mitigate the crisis in a way that would demonstrate impact on the lives of Nigerians.
He said that the COVID-19 remained a health crisis, and an obvious issue that the government was working rapidly to strengthen the health system to stop further spread of the virus and successfully treat those who have fallen sick.
Ehanire said that government would grasp the opportunity, for something good to come out from the crisis.
He said that it would benefit Nigerians forever and ensuring that every Nigerian have access to the services they need from the Primary Healthcare to tertiary level.
The minister said that Lagos State was currently the epicentre of COVID-19 in the country.
According to him, Lagos State Government had scaled up response with the support from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).
“Train stations, land borders and international airports remain closed, while additional measures are being taking to protect our seaports,” he said.
The minister noted that Lagos State still had the highest number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in country with 44 cases.
Ehanire said that cases reported were from travellers who just returned to the country, while other cases were from people who had contact with infected persons.
The minister said that there were no other way, than for Nigerians to TakeResponsibility as a country to control the spread of COVID19 pandemic.
He said that the older people above the age of 50 were more vulnerable to the virus than their younger counterparts.
Hence, the emphasis on the protection of the older people in the country.
He urged Nigerians to contribute to preventing the spread of COVID19 by making use of the recent launched campaign by the NCDC to #TakeResponsibility.
“This is a collective effort. Take measures like social distancing very seriously; it is your social responsibility,” he advised.
The minister disclosed that FMOH was working in concert with the National Emergency Management Agency (NAMA) to provide palliatives for Nigerians in the event of the mandatory stay at home instruction by the Federal Government.