Obaze to FG: Re-evaluate national response policy to curb spread of Covid-19

By PAMELA EBOH, Awka

The former governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Anambra State, Mr. Oseloka Obaze, has called on the Federal Government to re-evaluate and walk back the national response policy and strategy in order to stop the virus from spreading exponentially.

He made the call on the heels of the Coronavirus outbreak that is presently ravaging the entire world.

Obaze, who spoke in Awka the Anambra State capital, regretted that the present status quo which include testing of the national population is inadequate while the testing site-population ratio is 1:20 million.

He regretted that while the voluntary and partial lockdown is not working; social distancing is no any better.

He said: “Social distancing is not rigorously enforced and the social palliative intervention is skewed, marginal and dysfunctional.

“As the Covid-19 pandemic rages, the vast discussion of the scope of Nigeria’s response remains largely informal. There is a realisation that we will not have enough testing kits, Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) and ventilators any time soon to cover those that are infected nationally. The prospect of a vaccine remains remote, we must re-strategise.”

The retired United Nations diplomat urged federal and state governments to urgently take certain public health measures which include going back to spread-mitigation via mandatory one month national lockdown, institute nationwide palliative intervention using state and community structures prior to lock down.

Others are making wearing of masks mandatory nationwide, continuing, identifying, isolating and treating those already infected.