By Dan-Maryam Zayamu
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has said that Nigeria has done well in terms of timely containing each of the last 2 waves of COVID-19 and maintaining a national case fatality rate of 1.3%, a level that is half the regional average.
The WHO Representative in Nigeria, Walter Kazadi Mulombo, stated this while donating 26 ventilators and 3,560 fingertip oxygen pulse oximeters to the federal government in Abuja, Thursday.
He explained that the ventilators and the fingertip oxygen pulse oximeters are for the management of patients in isolation and treatment facilities as well as home based patients’ monitoring.
He noted that: “With the 3rd wave now upon the country, the expectations from all is not any less.
“It is against this backdrop we wish to demonstrate our continued support of the Federal Ministry of Health’s efforts in further strengthening the country’s capacity in case management.
“This is in addition to our ongoing support across all pillars of the country’s COVID-19 response at Federal and State levels.
“We are sure this donation will complement the notable initiatives that the Government of Nigeria is implementing, including with support from other partners, to address the identified gap in readiness for the 3rd wave that is being driven by the Delta variant, especially if it results in more cases requiring treatment than what was registered at the peak of the 2nd wave.”
The WHO Representative, therefore, encouraged all Nigerians to be mindful of discontinuing public health and social measures such as maintaining physical distance, avoiding crowded places and always observing hand hygiene.
Mulombo, however, warned that the safety measures too early “could see us losing some of the gains already achieved.”
Speaking while receiving the ventilators, the Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire, assured that his ministry will ensure equitable distribution of the 26 ventilators and 3,560 fingertip oxygen pulse oximeters.
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