As states in Nigeria battle to contain the Corona Virus pandemic, otherwise known as COVID-19, the Delta State Commissioner for Information, Mr. Charles Aniagwu, weekend, said disturbing as the situation is, there is a lesson to be learnt from the pandemic.
Speaking in a Delta Broadcasting Service (DBS), Asaba interview programme, monitored in Asaba, the state capital, Mr. Aniagwu said, though the pandemic had created fear and had led to the death of many in the country, thus compelling the Federal and State Governments to temporarily shutdown socio-economic, religious and political activities to check its spread, the magnitude of the pandemic had posed a big challenge to the nation’s health institutions.
“The big lesson that governments have to learn is that the pandemic has exposed the state of the nation’s health sector, therefore, there is the need to redefine and reappraise our health institutions, with a view to repositioning them in order to be able to cope with the challenges played up by the pandemic and any other life-threatening ailments now, and in the future”.
In this regard, the commissioner said the Delta State Government had taken necessary proactive measures to ensure that Deltans, and all residents of the State, were not only protected but that the dreaded corona virus disease was contained.
As a proof of the State government’s commitment in this direction, Mr. Aniagwu said Delta State was among the first states in the country to have ventilators and had taken every step to ensure that the disease was kept in check in the state.
He said COVID-19 isolation, treatment and holding centers had been decentralized to cater for any reported case in the three senatorial districts of North, South and Central in the State.
Therefore, persons with suspected case of COVID-19 in one senatorial district in the State do not need to travel long distance to get the necessary medical attention, he explained.
This, he said, had helped to save time, cost and the risk of having to travel long distance to get medical attention.
The commissioner, who reaffirmed that corona virus is real, advised Deltans to continue to adhere to the State government’s directive on stay-at-home, observation of social distancing and regular hand washing so as to keep safe and protected.
While advising that nobody, because of his or her faith should tempt God by saying that Corona virus does not exist, therefore, needless to obey government directives on staying safe and protected, the commissioner said, “God is too busy to think of those who cannot think for themselves.
“Corona virus is like a moving trailer and you don’t put God to test by jumping in front of it, thinking that He would save you; you would get crushed. You must differentiate between your faith in God and magic”, the commissioner added.
BY CHARLES EMENI
