Coronavirus Pandemic, Featured
By Anayo Ezugwu
THE Chairman of the Presidential Task Force, PTF, Boss Mustapha, has confirmed the donation of Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria to the federal government. Mustapha said the Catholic Bishops Conference has volunteered all the 425 hospitals and clinics nationwide for adaptation and use as isolation centres.
Speaking at the national briefing on Monday, May 11, Mustapha and secretary to the government of the federation, urged the state governors to approach Catholic Bishops in their states to access these facilities. He also reminded the governors that the Nigeria Institute of Architects has pledged the pro bono services of their members to modify, design and supervise all COVID-19 related projects nationwide.
According to Mustapha, governors should take these offers as part of efforts to support them in the establishment of the isolation and treatment centres. He regretted the challenges being faced by the frontline health workers. He explained said they have received threat to their lives, experienced detention by patients they are actually nursing to health and suffered other forms of harassment.
“Let me underscore the fact that these frontline workers constantly put their lives on the line to make sure persons infected are provided with the best care possible to enable them become healthy citizens again. It is therefore inhuman and unacceptable that patients engage in acts of locking them up and making demands that these frontline officers, most of the time, do not have the capacity to address.
“The PTF COVID 19 views such behaviour as reprehensible and should be deprecated. We call on all State governments to take this up appropriately. On the overall, the PTF is identifying and assessing all low to medium and high burden areas with a view to assessing and modifying our strategy. This will involve drilling down from all tiers of government to community level. This mention serves as a notice to traditional religious and community leaders to brace up for deeper involvement as we develop the protocols to strengthen community ownership in the National Response.
“While we continue to work on all options, the PTF wishes to repeat the dangers inherent in lack of compliance with guidelines issued. We must always remind Nigerians that Mr. President took a painful and difficult decision to ease the restrictions by approving revised measures that will maintain a balance between the safety of Nigerians and giving them the opportunity for some level of economic activities, that will sustain their means of livelihood, especially the poor and vulnerable, who depend on daily means of subsistence.
“The eased restrictions must therefore not become an excuse for us to lead the lives we were used to, pre-COCID-19 days. I wish to reiterate that the world today has completely changed from what we used to know and if we want to continue living the old ways, the cost would be enormous. Contracting COVID-19 is not a death sentence, but disregarding the guidelines for its avoidance, as guided by experts, is a costly self-voyage. Unfortunately, such choices cannot be made by individuals, but the collective and we are all resolute in stamping this scourge out of Nigeria,” he said.
– May 12, 2020 @ 13:05 GMT |
Tags: COVID-19: PTF urges governors to make use of Catholic hospitals
