An 18-man team of medical experts, including doctors, nurses and other medical advisers, from China is expected to arrive Nigeria in a few days to assist the federal government tackle the Coronavirus pandemic.
Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Enahire, who gave the hint at the daily briefing of the presidential task force on COVID-19 in Abuja yesterday, also disclosed that a group of Chinese companies working in Nigeria have donated medical supplies to support the country’s fight against COVID-19.
He listed the items to include commodities such as personal protective equipment and ventilators.
He said, “I have been notified of medical supplies from China, courtesy of a group of Chinese companies working here in Nigeria. A special cargo aircraft shall leave Nigeria in a few days to collect the items which include commodities, personal protective equipment and ventilators.
“An 18-man team of Chinese medical experts including doctors, nurses and other medical advisers shall come along with the flight to assist us. I must at this juncture commend our frontline workers who are doing a great job in case identification and management.
“As we prepare to contain COVID-19, we must not lose sight of other health challenges in our country. Routine health service must continue in our hospitals. Only a wing of tertiary health centres should be used for infected patients.”
The minister noted that close to 3,000 samples have been tested for the disease, adding that Nigeria will witness an increase in confirmed coronavirus cases despite the lockdown.
Meanwhile, Nigeria has recorded 190 confirmed cases out of which Lagos state, the epicentre of the disease, has 98 cases.
The federal capital territory (FCT) has 38; Osun, 20, and Oyo, eight cases. Akwa Ibom state has five cases; Ogun and Edo states have four each; Kaduna, four; Bauchi, three.
Enugu and Ekiti states have two cases each while Rivers and Benue states have recorded one each.
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