Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwu-Olu need to do more in combating the spread of COVID-19 in the state.
According to the Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, PTF, 11 Local Government Areas, LGAs, in Lagos State are among the 20 LGAs in the that account for 60 percent of the total COVID-19 cases nationwide. The LGAs in question are: Mainland, Mushin, Eti-Osa, Alimosho, Kosofe, Ikeja, Oshodi/Isolo, Apapa, Amuwo Odofin, Lagos Island and Surulere.
Ifeanyi blamed the increasing rate of infection in Lagos state and Nigeria at large on failure to enforce the restriction on interstate movement which he said was a major contributor to increasing cases nationwide.
“Certainly, something is amiss. The failed enforcement of the restriction on Interstate movement is a major contributory factor to the ever increasing reported COVID-19 positive cases across the country including Lagos. The virus does not move. Folks move, and that continues to fuel the spread of the virus. “Another factor behind the unabated spread of COVID-19 in Lagos State is ineffective risk communication. The buy-in of the populace is indispensable in the fight.
“The average person on the street is aware of COVID-19 pandemic, but, trust deficits exist, they do not believe the stories being banded around by government agents. We have to change the strategy so as to secure the buy-in of the people, and Lagosians in particular.”
Ifeanyi said the most appropriate stakeholders on sectoral basis were not being engaged in Lagos, and that the Lagos State government needs to ramp up the issues about risk communication and carry everyone along regarding the efforts at combating COVID-19 .
“Following the eased lockdown, life has since returned to normal in most parts of Lagos. The only thing not happening at this particular time is that worship centres and schools are still closed. Regrettably, all that the people know is just the conventional information about respiratory hygiene, hand hygiene and the general non pharmaceutical interventions.
“People in Lagos are in significant breach of the COVID-19 infection prevention protocol, so the message must go down to the people, the target must be the individual who the state government must do all to be in substantial or full compliance with the protocol. That is the magic wand to reducing the spread COVID-19 infection in Lagos and Nigeria.
“ According to Ifeanyi, the state government must begin to aggressively engage the leaderships of the major industrial sectors such as the leadership of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, and related groups.
“It’s very important because the way people move around in Lagos is one major reason for the continued spread of the virus in Lagos. The taxi driver and all commercial vehicle drivers need training on how to manage their passengers, on the criteria for boarding and while onboard, passengers and ultimately on how to periodically decontaminate their vehicles. This is not being practised or enforced.
Lagos state government must enforce safety protocols, social distancing. all worship centres must remain closed. Interstate movement must be shunned at this time.
According to the Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, PTF, 11 Local Government Areas, LGAs, in Lagos State are among the 20 LGAs in the that account for 60 percent of the total COVID-19 cases nationwide. The LGAs in question are: Mainland, Mushin, Eti-Osa, Alimosho, Kosofe, Ikeja, Oshodi/Isolo, Apapa, Amuwo Odofin, Lagos Island and Surulere.
Ifeanyi blamed the increasing rate of infection in Lagos state and Nigeria at large on failure to enforce the restriction on interstate movement which he said was a major contributor to increasing cases nationwide.
“Certainly, something is amiss. The failed enforcement of the restriction on Interstate movement is a major contributory factor to the ever increasing reported COVID-19 positive cases across the country including Lagos. The virus does not move. Folks move, and that continues to fuel the spread of the virus. “Another factor behind the unabated spread of COVID-19 in Lagos State is ineffective risk communication. The buy-in of the populace is indispensable in the fight.
“The average person on the street is aware of COVID-19 pandemic, but, trust deficits exist, they do not believe the stories being banded around by government agents. We have to change the strategy so as to secure the buy-in of the people, and Lagosians in particular.”
Ifeanyi said the most appropriate stakeholders on sectoral basis were not being engaged in Lagos, and that the Lagos State government needs to ramp up the issues about risk communication and carry everyone along regarding the efforts at combating COVID-19 .
“Following the eased lockdown, life has since returned to normal in most parts of Lagos. The only thing not happening at this particular time is that worship centres and schools are still closed. Regrettably, all that the people know is just the conventional information about respiratory hygiene, hand hygiene and the general non pharmaceutical interventions.
“People in Lagos are in significant breach of the COVID-19 infection prevention protocol, so the message must go down to the people, the target must be the individual who the state government must do all to be in substantial or full compliance with the protocol. That is the magic wand to reducing the spread COVID-19 infection in Lagos and Nigeria.
“ According to Ifeanyi, the state government must begin to aggressively engage the leaderships of the major industrial sectors such as the leadership of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, and related groups.
“It’s very important because the way people move around in Lagos is one major reason for the continued spread of the virus in Lagos. The taxi driver and all commercial vehicle drivers need training on how to manage their passengers, on the criteria for boarding and while onboard, passengers and ultimately on how to periodically decontaminate their vehicles. This is not being practised or enforced.
Lagos state government must enforce safety protocols, social distancing. all worship centres must remain closed. Interstate movement must be shunned at this time.
No comments:
Post a Comment