Nigeria needs N1.6 billion to fight coronavirus, says NCDC

The Nigeria Centre for Illness Management (NCDC) says the nation requires N1.6 billion emergency funding to fight coronavirus (COVID19).

The statement was made during a media briefing addressed by Dr. Osagie Ehanire, Minister of Wellbeing and Dr. Priscillia Ibekwe, Deputy Director, Particular Duties, NCDC.

Nigeria confirmed its first coronavirus case last week and since then authorities have recognized 61 contacts of coronavirus cases at present.

Ibekwe said that the fund would be spent on infection prevention and management, surveillance and epidemiology, case administration, laboratory prognosis, logistics, provide in addition to danger communication actions.

She thanked the Aliko Dangote Foundation (ADF), which has pledged of N200 million to assist the federal government for curbing the outbreak of the virus within the nation.

"To this point, what Nigeria has gotten has been strictly home funding. A number of the help we get from donors are in the type of coverage recommendation, technical help, whereas a few of them construct on present devices and experience to assist the nation reply to the virus", she said.

She also urged the private sector and different philanthropists to assist the efforts of authorities, strengthening preparedness and response to coronavirus.

Nigeria's depleted buffers and shaky exit from a 2016 recession, with growth around 2 percent, could make it harder for the country to control the outbreak.