COVID-I9 OUTBREAK--WE DON’T HAVE WHAT IT TAKES TO FACE IT By Aremu Stephen Akinyele, HFDI/SoLife Chairman BOT

There is this popular saying that the best time to prepare for war is during peace. It is no longer news that the Nigeria health system is weak, we do not have what it takes to face a full blown COVID-19 outbreak. 

I tried to imagine, if what happened in Italy should happen here, where they have an efficient health system, their health workers have good remuneration and hundreds still have to die because of the overwhelming effects of the outbreak.

In Nigeria, our health facilities are nothing to write home about, poorly funded with archaic equipment. 

For example, let us imagine an hospital where the Accident and Emergency unit, where all cases should be first presented, do not have a functional thermometer to take temperature, I was reliably told the one bought during Lassa outbreak was fake, hence it is not working. 

It seems Banks are even better prepared to detect cases than our hospitals.

In some hospitals,  Doctors there do not have ordinary face mask not to talk of personal protective equipment (PPE). 

No running water in the taps. I have heard the doctors there saying, they will stop working if any case is detected in the hospital.

Where does this leave us? We never prepared for this!

 Former Vice President Atiku is now having his son treated in Nigeria because he could not travel abroad. That Hospital will receive the support they never had in years because a big mans' son is now admitted there.

 We have politicians who have more than enough to spend on health systems as individuals but they would rather spend this on campaigns.

I only pray God in His infinite mercy will help stop this spread globally and in Nigeria because we are not PREPARED, It is a bitter truth we may want to admit.

Our health system cannot deal with a full outbreak. Hence the only way we can flatten the epidemiological curve is still the 

- social isolation, social distancing, though it is not the best but its what we can afford for now and it is all in our hands.

- Practice good hygiene, wash hands regularly

- Avoid crowd and when you suspect any case, report.

Nigerians should know that if the push comes to shove, the rich in the country will be the one to use the limited resources at our moribund hospitals and the poor masses will die.

Kudos to Osun Government and others for the directives given to avoid it.

Let's all abide and save ourselves from the pandemic.

This is my  concern (Aare)