The Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, said that the federal government has approved the sum of N71 million requested by the ministry to improve the services of the Port Health Services.
The minister said this during the inauguration of inter-ministerial and multi-sectoral committee on coronavirus, in Abuja on Friday.
Ehanire said the number of deaths so far recorded from the virus disease is 213.
According to WHO, the number of persons that have been confirmed is 9,700 infected in China alone, while100 cases in other countries.
He also disclosed that the Ivorian woman earlier quarantined on suspicion of being infected by coronavirus has tested negative and been set free.
He said the committee is to oversee the national response to prevent importation of coronavirus, assuring Nigerians that government was taking adequate measures to address the challenges posed by the virus which first broke out in the Chinese city of Wuhan.
The coronavirus committee is made up of several line ministries, including Health, Aviation, Transport, Information and Culture, Police Affairs, Internal Affairs, Agriculture and Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Also, the committee involves various government agencies and parastatals as well as state governors where international airports are located, Lagos, Enugu, Rivers and Kano.
Ehanire noted that committee will help to map out strategies to prevent the importation of coronavirus into the country.
He said with the declaration of coronavirus as a major public health emergency by WHO, government has decided to further step up action to protect Nigerians from the disease.
The Minister urged members of the committee to work together to achieve positive result.
Ehanire cautioned that coronavirus has the capacity to spread fast and overwhelm communities’ health facilities and cause havoc.
