The Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire, has appealed to traditional rulers in the northern part of the country to partner with the federal government in the fight against Covid-19.
He made the appeal at the emergency meeting of the Northern Traditional Leaders Committee (NTLC) on Primary Health Care (PHC) delivery, in Abuja.
The meeting was to discuss issues around the ravaging COVID-19.
Enahire particularly called on the northern traditional rulers to support the government in what he described as the troubling aspect of stigmatization and discrimination against Covid-19 patients.
He described the high level of discrimination and stigmatization of Covid-19 patients as “an unfortunate development,” expressing optimism that the leadership of the traditional rulers will also come to bear in reversing this ugly trend.
While commending the efforts of the traditional rulers in creating awareness to their subjects on issues relating to the Covid-19, the Minister said: “Your Highnesses, it has therefore become imperative that as our respected traditional leaders, safeguard your communities by mobilizing, sensitizing reporting and monitoring activities within your domains to ensure preventive measures are being adhered. Protection of the people is a divine responsibility bestowed on our royal fathers.”
Ehanire stressed that the spread of the Covid-19 has gotten to community transmission, hence, the need for both the government and traditional institution to work together to salvage the situation.
“We are faced with a pandemic that is ravaging through our communities, killing our people, hence, the need for us to work together to save our communities and our dear country from the grasp of this deadly virus,” he said.
The Minister, specially, commended His Eminence, the Sultan of Sokoto, for chairing the emergency meeting of the NTLC, saying: “I am optimistic that with your involvement in ongoing control efforts, we will soon stop community transmission of coronavirus.”
