Coronavirus: See What Medical Student Have To Say About Covid And How Nigeria Is Handling It.

CORONAVIRUS: OUR ADVICE TO FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF NIGERIA.
BY: KHALID SANUSI KANI
Before I delve into the details let me discuss a little on what Coronavirus is all about. Coronaviruses is a large family of viruses that typically attack the respiratory system. The name comes from the Latin word corona, meaning crown, because of the spiky fringe that encircles these viruses.Most infected animals, such as bats, cats, and birds. Almost 12,000 people have been infected by the new coronavirus, which continues to spread to more countries since it was first detected in the Chinese city of Wuhan in early December. The disease can be transmitted through sneezing or coughing, which disperses droplets of body fluids such as saliva or mucus. According to scientists, coughs and sneezes can travel several feet and stay suspended in the air for up to 10 minutes. The incubation period of the coronavirus, the length of time before symptoms appear, is between one and 14 days. In terms of self-protection and containing the virus, experts agree that it is important to wash hands thoroughly with soap; cover your face when coughing or sneezing; visit a doctor if you have symptoms and avoid direct contact with live animals in the affected areas.
As a popular saying "Prevention is better than cure". Why always that? That is the foreseeable question I am expecting from the reader of this Article. Let me answer the question. It is always simple and effortless to prevent damage before happens,  but so much  energy and resources are required to repair damage. It is thus  better to prevent disease rather than to try to find cures for diseases after they occur. That's why It is at the level of prevention that most of the global medical effort are be directed. Just of recent World Health Organization have declared Coronavirus as a global public health emergency. The action taken by WHO has shown that the Global Health Security is in majuscular dangerous dilemma. Some of the developed and developing countries have already started taking measures to prevent and protect their citizens from the devilish coronavirus. This consequently resulted in the Chinese restriction of movement and border closure by some countries that are neighboring China. However, the American government has banned it's citizens from taking a flight to China and some countries currently impose a 14-day travel ban on all visitors from China, regardless of their nationality. What my country is doing towards protecting its citizens? I weep!
I have no doubt in the competency and capacity of Nigerian Medical personnels. Because they have proved and showcased themselves during the Ebola outbreak in Nigeria. Which within a short period of time they  eradicated the Ebola virus from Nigeria. It was a very commendable effort. But nevertheless, we must call the attention of all relevant stakeholders to not dare handle the issue of coronavirus lightly just because we have the courage and capacity to confront the disease.
Recently, we heard the Honourable Minister of Health said and I quote " Nigeria has the capability to detect and confront the coronavirus if imported into the country". I had a large swath of anger  the time I saw this statement. I thought the Minister of Health will focus on making awareness and enlightening the good people of Nigeria on how to protect and prevent themselves from coronavirus instead of bragging. And as well to constitute a strong Health team that would be deployed to all borders and airports in Nigeria to be screening people for the diseaseand special attention to people from the contact zones. However, we are still battling with Lassa Fever in the country, recently, the disease has claimed the lives of two people from the Southern part of the Country. So, please we are advising the Federal Government not to allow her attention to be diverted from the issue of Lassa Fever. If care is not taken we will end up missing both.
The 71 Million approved by the Federal Government for the prevention, detection and reacting to Coronavirus to secure our ports is wonderful towards taking all the preventive measures in the country. But the fear of every Nigerian is whether the money will be used judiciously for the project or otherwise. It is the perpetual habits of Nigerian politicians if the money being disbursed for the nation-building ending up been siphoned into the money to their personal accounts shamelessly. This always leads to a breech of trust and the confidence we repose on politicians.  That's why we must draw the attention of corruption fighters to please track each and every kobo being released to the Federal Ministry of Health to ensure transparency and accountability in spending public funds and to make sure Health is for all not for high-class family only.
At this point in time, I strongly believe that Nigeria has very important health-related issues to handle than to start claiming we have all that it takes to react to Coronavirus. It is in this Country patients with simple malaria are dying talk more of a complicated one. The country is an endemic area of severe malnutrition, more especially in under five. The epidemiological statistics of maternal mortality rate is undoubtedly skyrocketing. To cut the story short, actually almost all the shuddery and scary figures of most of the disease of public impotence are high in my dear country.
So, please not to deceive ourselves let's tell ourselves the bitter truth. We should stop making money and business out of people suffering. Because, If a single case of Coronavirus is found in Nigeria some people will start writing proposals to the Federal Government and International donors to release funds that would be used in tackling the disease.  That's the end of the game! Let us be realistic, we urge the Federal Ministry of Health to do everything humanly possible to prevent the spread of Coronavirus in Nigeria by taking all the necessary measures. We can learn from the actions of some developed countries, the likes of America, Singapore, and Taiwan. We want the ministry to show enthusiasm towards protecting our lives. I strongly believe we have a lot of things to do with the money for national development instead of reacting to coronavirus. We need to spend little funds in the course of prevention compared to money needed to cure the disease. Let's prevent it!
Signed:
KHALID SUNUSI KANI
LEVEL 600 MEDICAL STUDENT
(FINAL YEAR MEDICAL STUDENT)
BAYERO UNIVERSITY KANO
52ND SUG PRESIDENT BUK
Email: Khalidsunusikani13@gmail.com
Phone No: 07030631259