onlinenewsngr
  • Home
  • News
  • Entertainment
  • Economy
  • Health
  • Education
  • Politics
FREE SUBSCRIPTION
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Entertainment
  • Economy
  • Health
  • Education
  • Politics
No Result
View All Result
onlinenewsngr
No Result
View All Result

COVID-19: Our health system’s too fragile to withstand another outbreak – Presidential Task Force

...Says dedicated fund should be created for health emergencies

December 23, 2020
in Health

The Presidential Task Force (PTF) on the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) has warned that the nation’s healthcare system is so fragile and may not be able to withstand the effect of a major outbreak of COVID-19 or other infections.

Presidential Task Force

This was one of the three key lessons that Nigeria must learn from the experience with COVID-19 in the last few months, according to the National Coordinator of the PTF, Dr Sani Aliyu, in the task force’s report presented to President Muhammadu Buhari at the State House on Tuesday.

According to him, to manage this fragility government would urgently need to embark on a deliberate and action-oriented reform of the nation’s healthcare sector, which is capable of placing the sector in better stead to face and weather any future health emergency.

Aside from the weakness exposed about the health sector, Aliyu said the experience had shown that COVID-19 is not going away very soon, just as it had become obvious that it could be managed and kept in check through the sort of efforts so far invested through the national response efforts.

He said as 2020 drew to a close, the PTF needed to redefine its role in the COVID-19 response and identify how to streamline into a lean but effective response body that would focus on tackling COVID-19 by sustaining the gains made while maintaining a reasonable level of readiness in response to this second surge of the pandemic but also other outbreaks in the future.

“In summary, Your Excellency, there are three key lessons we must carry forward:

COVID-19 will be with us for a while. Although this is the new normal, it continues to be just as deadly. Nevertheless, we have shown it is possible to keep it in check through the work we have done – we must persevere and continue the communication and enforcement aspects required to keep us safe until the epidemic is over.

“Next year will be all about the COVID-19 vaccine. This is a huge challenge for the country and will require your leadership and continued commitment, Mr. President. All hands must be on deck to deliver and overcome the challenges of securing the supply of safe and effective vaccines, logistics and acceptance.

Read Also: Presidential Task Force Releases Fresh Guidelines For School Reopening

“Our health system has been challenged by the COVID-19 pandemic. The country’s health system is fragile and may not withstand the effect of a major outbreak of COVID-19 or other infections.

“There is an urgent need for a carefully thought through and action-oriented reform of the health sector that will improve our health security and place the country in a better position to manage future health threats.

“However, it is not over yet. A lot more work needs to be done to enable us to transition back to normal. I am confident that working together and with your continued support, we will overcome this challenge once again,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Chairman of the PTF and Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr. Boss Mustapha, in his address at the report presentation event, emphasised the need for government to create a dedicated fund to cater for pandemics and other health emergencies.

Mustapha, who said this was one of the lessons learned from the COVID-19 experience, also noted that the phenomenon of evacuating Nigerian citizens from the Diaspora during emergencies should become a government policy resolution.

According to him, the experience had taught the government of the significance of and inherent benefits of effective communication with Nigerians as well as employing multi-sectoral collaborations as tools in facing national challenges.

“The phenomenon of the evacuation of citizens from all over the world should become a significant policy issue for the government. There’s a need to urgently establish a dedicated fund to address all pandemics and outbreaks.

“Across the board, several public sector roles, practices, systems and some statutes require review/revision to effectively respond to extreme emergency situations.

“The immense benefits derivable from multi-sectoral collaboration to address issues. Effective communication with Nigerians. Under emergency conditions, well-rounded considerations should be given to all sectors.

“Our health sector will require major reforms and must be proactive. Economic sustainability, recovery and preservation of lives and livelihoods remain critical at all times. Structured data collection, analysis and retrieval remain critical for effective governance.

“The significance of building on synergy established with the private sector, the National Assembly and the subnational entities. These lessons are by no means exhaustive,” he said.

 

The Nation

 

Kindly Follow Us On Twitter


Tags: COVID-19Presidential Task Force

Related Posts

Lagos State to develop infectious disease research centre

Lagos State to develop infectious disease research centre’

April 29, 2021
Lagos State Government

Lagos State Government shuts all COVID-19 vaccination centres

April 22, 2021

Striking Resident Doctors to refund N308 million over payment to government treasury

April 10, 2021

NMA to patients: tell govt to stop toying with health

April 5, 2021

638,291 persons vaccinated so far for COVID-19- FG

March 31, 2021

UNICEF: Over 86% of Nigerians lack access to safe drinking water

March 22, 2021

Latest

Serial rapist sentenced to 1,088 years for defiling 56 victims

Mr P, Rudeboy should hug it out after Chelsea win, says Ebuka

Actress Nkechi Blessing vows to beat up colleagues who secretly go for surgeries yet use slimming tea as disguise

Marriage shouldn’t cross your mind if you’re struggling — Nigerian Man writes

Police, pro-Biafra group disagree over arrest of 57 agitators

Buhari to inaugurate Lagos-Ibadan standard gauge June 10

Prev Next

© 2019 onlinenewsngr

Navigate Site

  • About Us
  • Contact us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Sitemap
  • Advert Rates
  • Terms

Follow Us

No Result
View All Result
  • Advert Rates
  • Free Subscription
  • Home
  • News
  • Entertainment
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Education
  • Health

© 2019 onlinenewsngr