Nigeria on Tuesday strengthened its response mechanism to the Corona virus with the inauguration of a Presidential task force.
Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) who inaugurated the task force set an initial timeline for the activities of this Task Force for six months and as part of its mandate, the team will strengthen “the national response strategy, particularly in the areas of testing, containment and management of COVID-19; strengthen collaboration with all tiers of government, private sector, Faith-Based Organizations, Civil Societies, Donors and Partners; as well as create necessary awareness among the populace.
The task force also has the powers to “direct the deployment of any relevant national assets, and when necessary, lay a foundation for scientific and medical research to address all emerging infectious diseases.
The task force is also saddled with responsibility to advise government on the declaration of national emergency as part of the containment measures when necessary.
The SGF said the team is expected to report on a regular basis to the President.
“ Inorder to give the activities of the Task Force proper focus, Mr. President also, approved the appointment of a National Coordinator who will manage the daily process, in collaboration with existing institutions and structures. The National Coordinator will be responsible for cohesion and efficiency in the roles played by the different agencies, operating in the treatment of the national response strategy” he said
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha is to chair the team, that has Sani Aliyu as the National Coordinator.
The team is made up of health and health- related fields, as well as ministers who duties affects areas critical to the Coronavirus disease
Members of the team include Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire; Minister of Interior , Rauf Aregbesola; Minister of Aviation Hadi Sirika, and Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management,
Others include Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu; Minister of Information and Culture , Lai Mohammed and Minister of Environment, Mohammed Mahmoud.
Other are the Director-General, Department of State Security, DSS, Director-General, Nigeria Center for Disease Control and World Health Organisation WHO country Representatives in Nigeria
The Presidential Task Force for the Control of the Coronavirus-19 Disease (COVID-19), is saddled with the task of providing policy framework to deal with the current global outbreak of the novel Coronavirus
The team is also to provide direction that will avoid it causing significant disruption to health services in the country as well as impacting negatively on the economy”
“The action is in preparation for the unlikely but probable major outbreak of the disease in the country which will require a multi-sectoral inter-governmental approach as advised by the World Health Organisation (WHO) similar to that adopted for the HIV epidemic in the last two decades.”
