The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) in a statement to mark the first 100 days of COVID-19 in the country, said 100 million text messages had been sent to Nigerians since February as part of the campaign against the virus.
The centre deliberately planned to ensure that it covers the 100 million messages within hundred days.
It said, “With the support of Nigeria’s telecommunication companies, over 100 million text messages have been sent out since February 2020 reminding Nigerians about measures that can be taken to protect themselves from COVID-19. The NCDC continues to work closely with the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture, as well as the National Orientation Agency to educate Nigerians on how to protect themselves.”
In a related development, the Nigerian Medical Association last Sunday called on the federal and the state governments to create more bed-spaces in hotels and public places for the treatment of COVID-19 patients instead of opting for home treatment.
Ujah, who commented on the increasing number of COVID -19 active cases, which had exceeded the available bed-spaces in the country, insisted that home care for COVID-19 patients was dangerous.
The apex association of medical doctors in the country last month kicked against home treatment for coronavirus patients.
On Sunday, Ujah warned that allowing patients to be treated at home for the disease was capable of escalating the situation.
He explained that the initial practice of self -isolation for suspected cases which he noted was against Nigerian culture was responsible for community transmission of the disease
In Mr Ujah’s words: “If at that time, provisions were made in hotels to keep those who were returning from abroad and not asking them to go on self-isolation, I believe that the community transmission of the disease could have been curtailed. So, the federal and state governments should create more bed-spaces in hotels and other public spaces for the treatment of COVID-19 because you cannot treat the disease at home otherwise it would not have qualified to be called an emergency health situation.”
