The federal government has assured Nigerians that it is well prepared to combat the deadly Coronavirus in the country.
Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Mr Boss Mustapha who disclosed Wednesday at a one-day sensitisation programme on the Spread of Coronavirus and Lassa fever, said rumours of the spread of the disease should be avoided.
“We have been informed by the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control that they have set up their response centers and that they are mounting surveillance. Medical personnel have also been put on standby to attend to any emerging issues.
“What we are doing today is the responsibility of management to create awareness within our workforce. The issue of stigmatization should be reduced to the bearest minimum. No fiction, no rumors, science and facts are what we want to deal with,” he said.
Represented by the Permanent Secretary, General Services Office, Mr Olusegun Adekunle, the SGF urged Nigerians to take the precautionary measures seriously to remain safe.
Earlier in the sensitisation workshop, Head of Response Division in the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Dr Olaolu Aderinola, said the virus which has so far spread across 23 countries is yet to enter Nigeria.
He urged Nigerians not to stigmatise Chinese in the country.
He also warned against misinformation on the virus, especially on the social media, adding that the NCDC is coordinating a Coronavirus Preparedness Group to respond to any possible outbreak.
