Still On My Strategic Ideas On How To Proceed Against Covid-19

GREAT IMO JONATHAN

In addition to my earlier suggestions and steps being taken by the Federal Government of Nigeria and states, I want to encourage all State Governments to go a step further to ensure that:

1. States should quickly procure Personal Protective Equipment for health workers and those on essential duties

2. Move quickly to train ad-hoc health workers

3. Mobilize retired health workers in their states who are still fit to work and put them on notice for when they will be needed 

4. Look at the possibilities of co-opting health workers in the private sector in their states and be ready to pay them on contract basis working in agreement with owners of private health facilities who would required to release their workers to join government workforce when needed 

5. Quality testing kits accredited by WHO should be quickly procured

6. Testing centre should be established in different locations in each Local Government Areas without waiting for National Center For Disease Control

7. People should be encouraged to go for voluntary testing

8. Call centers or information centers should be established and well equipped to interact with citizens 24 hours daily and its telephone numbers made public and well publicised so that people can get information on where to go and how to proceed when they have a need in relation to this pandemic

9. Treatment centers should be established in all local government areas with VENTILATORS quickly procured

10. Information should be requested from treatment centers in Lagos where 6 people have been effectively treated so that those manning treatment centers in our local government areas can have a good knowledge of combination of drugs and therapies used in treating patients

Then;

11. Structures of controlled food distribution should be created reaching every part of our communities. There should be a kind of well coordinated and hygienically operated mobile markets for sales of food stuff and another for giving food support to vulnerable households that can’t afford to buy for themselves; and 

12. There should be adequate security provided across communities with the involvement of community leaders who are also required to serve as information officers reaching their people.

If we deploy our resources where we need them now we will get the result. 

May God Continue To Protect Nigeria!

• Great Imo Jonathan writes from Umuahia, Abia State.