Sunday Okobi
A political party, Youth Party (YP) has urged the federal government and all state governments to take decisive steps to halt the spread of the COVID-19.
In a statement signed by the party Director of Communications, Ms Ilamosi Ekenimoh, it stated that “the sudden surge in the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Nigeria requires a strong sense of urgency and bold leadership from both the federal government and all sub-national governments.
“It is important to reiterate the fact that defeating this pandemic will require the collective action of the government and citizens.”
The party, however, highlighted important recommendations that could help to halt the spread of the coronavirus.
It advised that “governments across the country must step up sensitisation and awareness campaign to educate citizens of their responsibilities in fighting this pandemic. Perhaps, the government may need to pass laws restricting gatherings beyond 20 persons during the period of the pandemic and must be prepared to enforce those laws to the last letter.”
Calling for citizens’ action and volunteerism, Ekenimoh said: “It is obvious that the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) is gradually becoming overwhelmed by the torrent of phone calls on their hotlines by concerned citizens. This has resulted in a delay in response by the agency on several occasions and has heightened panic. The government should, therefore, request citizen’s participation by making a call for volunteers.
“These volunteers can be drawn from medical students across the country, which are willing to give back to their country at this difficult period. Dozens of Youth Party members have indicated strong interest in volunteering in this regard.”
The political party also urged the government to prioritise the safety of doctors across several hospitals who are directly responsible for the treatment of infected persons.
It stated that “a new report published in the New England Journal of Medicine has pointed out that a good number of the infection from COVID-19 in Italy happened in hospitals largely due to the unavailability of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). Therefore, the government must invest in PPE to protect the brave doctors on the frontline of this fight. The government should also invest in a good amount of test kits and ventilators.”
Ekenimoh also commended the NCDC and the health professionals, who go out daily to fight this pandemic, stating that “our love and prayers are with you. We also encourage citizens to act responsibly and support the government in its effort to tame this virus.”
