A team of officials sent from the Federal Ministry of Health to Kogi State to assess the Covid-19 readiness situation and assist the state government in its response plan has returned to Abuja without accomplishing its mission.
The Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire, disclosed this at a media briefing in Abuja, Friday.
It would be recalled that two days ago, the Minister of Health announced that his ministry had dispatched a ministerial team comprising of top officials of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and Department of Hospital Services to Kogi state.
A similar team is billed to visit Cross River very soon.
The visit, according to the Minister, was to ensure that the two states are fully prepared to halt the spread of the Covid-19 when they eventually have cases.
However, on at the media briefing on Friday, Ehanire said: “The Ministry of Health team sent to Kogi State has returned to Abuja without mission accomplishment.
“New efforts will be made to engage Kogi authorities for resolution of differences.
“A team will visit Borno State for the same purpose in due course.”
Even though the Minister did not disclose the unresolved differences between the Ministry officials and the Kogi state government, sources close to the Government House in Kogi revealed that the officials returned after the state government insisted that they must undergo the mandatory 14-days quarantine period and be tested for Covid-19 before they are allowed to continue with their mission.
This, the source said, angered the Ministry officials, hence, they returned to Abuja without accomplishing their mission.
Ehanire disclosed that his ministry will continue to engage states Commissioners of Health on a continuous basis to monitor readiness and preparedness, and address matters arising.
He, however, lamented that with the increasing figures, Nigeria is approaching a difficult area in its COVID-19 response.
He, therefore, expressed optimism that “we all can still influence the situation by adhering more strictly to all the safety, infection prevention and non pharmaceutical injunctions that have been repeatedly given here.”
