The apex scientific organisation in Nigeria, the Nigerian Academy of Science, has expressed doubts about the Federal Government’s claim that it is prepared for coronavirus if the disease breaks out in the country.
There is no cure yet for the virus that has claimed more than 1,000 lives since it broke out in Wuhan, China, prompting the World Health Organisation to declare a global public health emergency.
WHO also listed Nigeria among13 African countries that are vulnerable to the disease due to close economic contacts with China.
However, Minister of Health, Prof. Osagie Ehanire, had declared that Nigeria was “well-prepared and ready to contain coronavirus if eventually it broke out.”
The Federal Government has also announced a plan to spend N620m to monitor, detect and contain the virus in a bid to prevent an outbreak of the disease in the country.
But the NAS, an independent scientific body which also acts as an advisor to the government, said it was ‘skeptical’ over the Federal Government’s claims.
President of the NAS, Prof. Mosto Onuoha, stated the Academy’s position in an interview with our correspondent.
Onuoha wondered how the Federal Government could be ready for a coronavirus outbreak when Nigeria had not been able to cope with Lassa fever, a lesser disease that has ravaged Nigerians in various parts of the country for many years.
Onuoha said, “That is what they have told us but I don’t know. Let’s hope it is so, let’s believe them.
“But the truth of the matter is, I want to believe them but we are very skeptical because COVID-19 (coronavirus) is new, it is sudden and we haven’t coped with Lassa fever that has been with us for many years.
“We have not been ready for that (Lassa fever).
“We just pray God will help us. Lassa fever has been around and is still killing people and if all that we can do is prevention then you will begin to wonder when government says it is ready for coronavirus.
“We don’t even know so much about coronavirus yet, is it the one that the government can handle?
“There are a lot of things that we don’t know about. This disease is strange; it is not originating from here. I think it is a much bigger challenge than Lassa fever.”
Onuoha, however, noted that should coronavirus break out in Nigeria the Federal Government could count on the support of the international community.
He said, “The WHO and the whole world are networking to make sure that this thing is contained.
“There should be a place in Abuja or Lagos or both where people can be taken to if it is detected and Nigeria will have international help.
“The international community is distributing diagnostic materials and Nigeria is a big country with a sizeable Chinese community that is involved in construction work in many states.”
The NAS President further noted that the ‘Nigerian factor’ could also undermine efforts to effectively contain an outbreak of the virus in the country.
In the same vein, NAS backed the N36m cash prize which the Ministry of Science and Technology promised to give to any Nigerian scientist that discovered a cure for coronavirus and Lassa fever.
Minister of Science and Technology, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, had announced the cash prize on Thursday.
Reacting to the development, Onuoha said the cash prize was a challenge to Nigerian scientists.
Onuoha said, “I think he (minister) is just challenging our people. I saw that as a challenge.
“I think it is a good thing; I like what the minister did. If you challenge people they will do something.”
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