Nigeria: Strengthening capacity is the way to reduce COVID-19 case fatalities

"We hope to reduce case fatalities by strengthening our capacity to manage cases, but it is only possible if persons test themselves early. All cases, whether home-based or institutional are to be supervised by medical personnel. This is particularly important, given the threat posed by the spiralling rate of infection in countries with which Nigeria has strong political, business, social, and family relations.”

The Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH) has said that improving the capacity to manage COVID-19 cases is the strategy to reduce case fatalities in Nigeria, according to a report by Nairametris.

Osagie Ehanire, the Minister of Health, reportedly disclosed the plan on COVI-19 by FMOH in a daily Joint National Briefing of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) in Abuja.

He said that to reduce the case fatalities the health ministry is planning the battle through personnel surveillance.

He quoted, "we hope to reduce case fatalities by strengthening our capacity to manage cases, but it is only possible if persons test themselves early. All cases, whether home-based or institutional are to be supervised by medical personnel. This is particularly important, given the threat posed by the spiralling rate of infection in countries with which Nigeria has strong political, business, social, and family relations."

He urged the citizens to avoid traveling to countries with high COVID-19 risk.

"There is a correspondingly high volume of travel between Nigeria and those countries, which is what also determines the risk. I also urge all Nigerians to cut off all travels, especially international travels, most especially travels to high risk countries, except it is very urgent", he said.

While talking about the permanent cure via vaccine he drew the focus on the process of ensuring access to the vaccine but that might take a while he said.

Ehanire added, "although we are positioning our country for access to the Covid-19 vaccine, it may still take a while for countries to access it and for all citizens to be vaccinated. It is, therefore, more realistic that we adopt preventive measures which have proven to be successful in controlling the pandemic,"