In aid of Nigeria’s COVID-19 response and fight, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the West African Health Organisation have donated items worth $8 million including two ventilators to the Federal Government.
The items were handed over to the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 at Premier Medical Warehouse, Jabi, Abuja on Saturday.
Receiving the items, the PTF Chairman and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr Boss Mustapha, said it was only by through multi-level partnerships that the world could defeat the pandemic.
The items include 12,800 googles, 50,000 pairs of small gloves, 100,000 pairs of medium gloves, 144,000, pairs of medium gloves, 5,050 medium gowns, 13,120 small gowns, 5,050 large gowns, 8,190 coveralls, 1,600 full-face shields, 10,000 surgical masks, 5,000 bottles of 70mls sanitizers produced in Nigeria delivered by GIZ on behalf of the German government, 40,512 diagnostics test kits, 40,512 viral transport medium, 40,512 extraction kits, two ventilators and two ventilators trolleys.
Mustapha, who was represented by Mr Olusegun Adekunle, Permanent Secretary in his office, lamented the devastating effects of COVID-19 on the African content and the entire world.
He urged the ECOWAS member-states to redouble their fight against Coronavirus to make the region safe.
According to Mustapha, response to COVID-19 is an ongoing process that requires a rapid and flexible response that should be based on listening, verification and commitment.
On why the virus has continued to spread, he said: “They are my colleagues so I can speak without the mask; they are my close friends so I can speak without the mask; they are my relations so I can speak without the mask.
”Don’t do the above three mistakes… save yourself and others.” Mustapha, however, commended ECOWAS/WAHO for the donations, noting that some of the items were scarce commodities.
“We acknowledged that the donations are useful. The items are being chased globally, even if you have resources you might not get it.
“The donation is gratifying because hundreds of medical personnel have been infected perhaps due to lack of kits. It will be used judiciously and it will be accounted for. We received these items with thanks,” he said.
The Director l-General of West African Health Organization (WAHO), Prof. Stanley Okolo, said all the goods handed over were procured with the grant provided by the German government through the German Development Bank (KFW), BMZ, German International Development Office and the GIZ. He said the coronavirus is going to be around for some time hence the need for citizens to embrace the habits of modifying their behaviours.
“If the people embrace respiratory precautions, don’t leave the house without a face mask, practise social distancing, the virus curve will be flattened more quickly.”
He said WAHO which came into existence 33 years ago by the decree of the Heads of States and government, is happy with its achievements for the region and will continue to do more.
Ludwig Kitchener, GIZ-ECOWAS Cluster Coordinator and Representative of the German Government said the ECOWAS region as at July 10 had recorded 90,000 cases.
While commending remarkable efforts to contend the spread of the virus in the country, he noted that the donated items are crucial for the fight against the pandemic.
He said the cooperation between GIZ and WAHO started in 2016 through the regional programme, Support to Pandemic Prevention in the ECOWAS region, which is for regional surveillance, preparedness and control architecture for infectious diseases.
Kitchener said GIZ is currently supporting its partners to respond to the COVID-19 crisis through technical assistance in training health personnel, assistance in risk communications and coordination activities.
According to him, GIZ in May distributed 31,500 bottles of pocket-size Nigerian produced hand sanitizers through WAHO to the region. Other personal protective equipments donated include 56,000 disposable gowns, 91,000 protective overalls, 21,000, goggles, 11,000 face shields and over 150,000 masks in total.
The President of ECOWAS Commission, Jean Claude Kasi Brou, in his remarks, noted that the critical equipment would help Nigeria fight the pandemic.
He said the commission has been coordinating support between member-states and partners, adding that some of the goods were procured locally as a way of supporting local industries.
He recalled that the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government at its extraordinary session via video conference on 23 April, where it discussed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the sub-region, had appointed Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari as the Champion of the organisation’s COVID-19 response coordination.
He said already, Buhari has provided facilities and logistics support to ECOWAS which include a warehouse for storing all procurement of medical commodities and planes for distribution of the items to the region.
The Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, said the choice of Abuja by ECOWAS and WAHO, as the central hub for receipt and distribution of regional supplies of medical products and equipment for the fight against COVID-19, is an indication of the confidence reposed in the country.
“We shall play our role in providing support to our fellow member states in the ECOWAS subregion to fight this disease outbreak of which President Buhari was recently designated Champion of the COVID-19 response.”
He noted that the PTF was set up to lead the government’s response strategies and determine non-pharmaceutical measures to ensure the safety of citizens.
“Our health workers are toiling assiduously to treat COVID-19 patients, provide emergency care, while not losing sight of routine and essential health services. They all need our support and encouragement and I believe that the provision of these test kits and personal protective equipment (PPE) will generate even more peace of mind to facilitate their work.”
In his remarks, Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu, the Director-General, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), noted that the difference in the response to COVID-19 in the country and the 2014 Ebola outbreak was increased collaboration across West African Health Institutions, as demonstrated by the support received from ECOWAS and WAHO.
”We are grateful for the medical supplies received and offer our commitment to account for each and every one of them as we respond to this outbreak.”
The PTF Coordinator, Dr Sani Aliyu, said the pandemic required global solidarity to stamp out. He described the pandemic as a unique one that does not respect borders and individuals, adding that 700 Nigerians have been lost to the virus, while half a million have been lost globally.
“lt is not an infection that we can continue to ignore but work working abortively and effectively we will be able to get on top of this.”
