• Friday, March 29, 2024
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FG firms up plans to re-open international flights

international flights
Federal government on Monday said it is firming up plans to reopen Nigeria,s international airspace, by perfecting its efforts to ensure seamless testing and detection, ahead of the expected resumption of international flights
Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on the Coronavirus response, Boss Mustapha who disclosed this as the regular national  briefing, said government is mindful of the importance of international air travel to the economy, adding that ” the PTF and the Aviation Sector are working hard to fast track reopening of the international airspace.
”  Most importantly, the arrival protocols for passengers on in-bound flights are being firmed up for seamless testing and detection. Relevant MDAs will be holding further consultations”
Mustapha, while speaking on latest statistics on the Coronavirus, said the  “COVID-19 remains very virulent and very dangerous.
Current global statistics show that 16,380,397 cases occured in 215 countries, with 651,198 deaths.
WHO statistics show that the world recorded 284,000 confirmed cases and 9,750 deaths.
These were records in terms of the spike in daily numbers and they represent a red flag to all nations.
Mustapha said the PTF analysis has shown that people over 50 years of age especially those with underlying factors remain most at risk.
“This position is backed by the fact that 65% of fatalities recorded in Nigeria are in this category. That brings me to the need to appeal to Nigerians on the need for a change of behavior  and compliance with guidelines and measures put in place.
 If you do not need to go outside your home, please stay indoors. Avoid large gatherings and observe all the measures.
The minister of Aviation Hadi Sirika, while also speaking on the flights resumption,  said a Committee has been set to discuss the protocol for international flights.
Sirika said there have been lots of pressure on the ministry to open international flight, adding that
.” It  is not a function of Aviation alone, this is a function of lots of MDAS, and government
“National air transport  facilitation committee has been established which comprises of the following membership,  ministry of Aviation, Foreign affairs, health, ministry of culture and tourism, Nigeria civil aviation authority, federal airport authority of Nigeria, Nigeria costume Nigeria Immigration, Nigeria police, Nigeria agricultural quarantine service, ministry of interior, the state security service, Nigeria drug law enforcement agency, Nigeria air spacement  agency, the ground handler association, the air operators and certificate representatives, airlines operators of Nigeria representatives,
Nigeria civil aviation security representatives and the airport security committee will be having their meeting tomorrow to further discuss the protocol as to open up the airport for international flights
We want to open more than you want it open but it is subject to many factors. we definitely will open but government will not subjugate the health of people. We will open very soon when everything seem safe. the purpose of this is to be able to judge and say what is safe for our country.
Ehanire Osagie, Minister of Health in his remark announced that 60 PCR Public Health laboratories are now active across the country to address testing capacity challenges and ramp up utilization if only the logistics could be improved.
The Minister who reassured the frontline health workers of availability of essential items and consumables at point of use, announced the arrival of consignments of essential COVID-19 related commodities donated by the United Nations systems, which will be officially handed over to the federal government.
“We remain appreciative of the UN System for this gesture and their consistent support, which greatly increases our reserves and recognizes our needs, especially of oxygen concentrators and PPEs”.
“The 70 to 30 male to female gender ratio and the case fatality rate of 2.1 percent have not changed significantly. Two thirds of all fatalities remain in the over 50 year age group, while comorbidity like diabetes, hypertension, asthma, are common among all fatalities”.
“They underscore the need to protect senior citizens and the vulnerable from infection, by giving special attention to risk communication and priority for admission for observation and treatment. Of utmost concern are still the asymptomatic cases, with the potential to spread the disease, of whom the young and able bodied can be difficult to manage”.
The Minister stressed that in effort to reduce the fatality rates, and expand  treatment capacity, the Ministry has began plans to take delivery of the newly completed Isolation Center at UATH Gwagwalada, as other centers are under construction nationwide.
“The total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Nigeria crossed the 40,000 mark to 40,534 over the weekend, with 555 new cases recorded in the past 24 hours, of which 17,374 have been successfully treated and discharged”.
“We have regrettably lost 858 persons, most of them with co-morbidities. With 262,579 persons tested, we have crossed the quarter million mark. When the epidemic curve will begin to flatten is still a matter of conjecture, given the relatively small fraction of our population that has been tested so far”.

 

Tony Ailemen, Harrison Edeh, Cynthia Egbohoh, Godsgift Onyedinefu, Gift Wada