FLATTENING THE 'KERVE'

The Year 2020 started on a normal note; The festivities surrounding the first days of the year, the prayers, the expectations, the many watchwords and everything good for the new year. Well we are through with the first quarter of the year and damn, it has been one hell of a ride. Coronavirus termed Covid-19 was the newest virus we welcomed in the year, even as early as it is. By now, it needs no introduction; and by virtue of its influence on the global economy, the magnitude, its widespread nature and everything inclusive which has led the global apex body, the WHO to tag it  as a global pandemic. When it comes to the Nigeria state, there are always issues to write about; I was still working on this, when the minister for health made the very discouraging statement of he being oblivious of the hazards faced by medical practitioners in the line of combating the virus in Nigeria. The  Chief of staff to the president Mallam Abba Kyari was also not dead as a result complications arising from the dreaded coronavirus.

The Steady increase in confirmed cases in Nigeria has necessitated a lock down which has crippled  economic activities. But what must we do to flatten the curve of infection in Nigeria? The title was borne out of hearing the Lagos state commissioner for health Prof Akin Abayomi call for effective measures to be taken in flattening the curve; the 'Kerve' as he pronounces it, all on a lighter note though. Over time, Nigeria has failed to sufficiently invest in the healthcare sector and we only hope this lack of attention does not come to hunt us. The biggest economies of the world are downsizing and having to cope with large casualty figures as a result of this pandemic. What hope do we have as a country, now that it has come to this? We can only strictly adhere to social distancing rules, obey the simple rules of hygiene, and hope to break the community transmission of the virus.

There have been instances of the index cases in some states of the country being individuals who have traveled outside the country or had the contact with suspected cases; and kept this information from healthcare professionals. This is not the ideal way to go, as being open about all your recent travel history and related activities would really save both parties involved lots of stress. The case  scenario in my home state readily comes to mind. Irrespective of who you are as a person, there is need to submit to regulatory guidelines. Lagos state has been in the eye of the storm since we started confirming cases in the country; but the measures adopted by the state's government under the leadership of the governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu and the commissioner for health as mentioned earlier is nothing short of commendable. The capacity of the isolation centers provided, and the latest move to create walk-in centers in the state's local government areas to increase  the testing capacity, and contact tracing is nothing short of impressive.

As lock down procedures have been announced by most state governors, efforts should be made to ensure that people do sit their asses down at home. The virus itself cannot move from one place to another, human beings serve as its host and as such, the movers of the virus. If you are feeling unwell, or any of its symptoms, do self-isolate as there is really no point in endangering the entire populace. The internet being a global space has seen the videos of individuals from certain northern states washing their hands and drinking the waste water in a bid to counter the claim that the virus spreads easily by contact. This is wrong in all its forms and should be discouraged. There is need for massive mobilization to be done to educate Nigerians; most especially those living in the rural areas. People need to know that this virus is real and figures are beginning to rise in the country. This is really not the time to play politics with a situation as serious as this.

Security operatives have been delegated the duty of enforcing the lock down directive in all the states of the country. It was mentioned that since this sit at home started, our armed operatives have killed 18 defenseless Nigerians; effectively battling the casualty figures from the virus itself. Which way na Naija? The killing of defenseless citizens is not a new thing, as many calls have been made to stem this, but all to no avail. There has never been a time for extrajudicial killings, this inclusive. Many are at home with no idea of where the next meal would come from. Empathy should be deployed when interacting with the people. Much has also been said about the need to distribute palliatives to cushion the effects of this period; These materials should be disbursed without favor, as most are at the mercy of this pandemic.

This is not the time to take your piece of the national cake as usual; Be human at least this once as all hands needs to be on deck to flatten the curve of this viral infection.

Image: The World Health Organization.