Lagos state government has declared that travellers coming into the State through Asian axis would have to undergo some scrutiny.
Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Professor Akin Abayomi says the State is working with the Chinese government through her embassy in Nigeria to prevent the entry of Corona Virus into the State and to also instruct its citizens that anyone who chooses to return to Nigeria should be self-quarantined for 10 to 14 days.
Professor Abayomi, however, said the Chinese government has also sent notification to her citizens to remain in China until there was clarity about the spread of the infection.
Collaborating with critical stakeholders
Abayomi who gave this indication at a media briefing, to update on the State government’s level of preparedness to prevent or contain any possible entry of the disease and other infectious diseases into Lagos said that the State was collaborating with critical stakeholders to address the situation.
He said that areas of co-operation included the issuing of advisory on travel between China and Lagos and self-quarantine of persons coming in from China and other endemic countries especially from South-East Asia to Lagos.
“We are very happy with the co-operation we are receiving from the Chinese government. We’ve had a very serious and high-level discussion with the Chinese government through their embassy in Lagos, our primary concern has been the return of their citizens to Lagos in a few days’ time and we are happy to inform you that the embassy of China is also concerned about this, and they have sent out information through notifications to their citizens and companies located in Lagos that their citizens should try and remain in China until there is clarity about how this infection is going.
However, if some of them choose to return, and we cannot restrict people, if they do return to Lagos, the instruction from the Chinese Embassy is that they should be quarantined for a period of 10 to 14 days in their houses, hostels and accommodations,” he said
Precautionary measures
The Commissioner mentioned that officials of the Ministry of Health would meet with associations businessmen in Lagos particularly those who make use the China-Nigeria trade routes to advise them on their travels to Asian countries particularly China and educate them on precautionary measures against contracting the disease.
While outlining strategies and plans put in place by the State government to prevent a possible outbreak, the Commissioner stressed that Lagos is more susceptible to an entry of the virus because of it’s economic relationship with China.
He noted also that the peculiar nature of the State due to its very high dense population, many high-density residential locations and a significant number of slums also makes it become particularly vulnerable to outbreak spread of infectious diseases.
“Lagos is also particularly vulnerable because of its peculiar nature; it is the largest megacity in Africa, it has a very high dense population and it has many high-density residential locations and a significant number of slums and therefore it becomes particularly vulnerable to outbreak spread and it is our duty to ensure that we put all strategies in place to try and prevent the entry or the spread of the virus in our communities,” he said.
Strategic management
Abayomi explained that the State government recently activated an Emergency Operation Centre (EOC) which is the command and control Center to co-ordinate operational information and resources for the strategic management of emergencies in preparation against infectious diseases.
He said that citizens were being sensitised on precautionary measures against the spread of the infection and other infectious diseases through the circulation of various messages for behavioural modification.
He adds that surveillance activities were being intensified across the state to fast track the diagnosis and management of infectious diseases whenever they occur.
Source: VON
