The Presidential Task Force, PTF, on COVID-19 has again expressed concerns over non-compliance to safety measures against the COVID-19 pandemic.
Boss Mustapha, the Chairman of the PTF, raised the alarm during the task force news conference on Thursday in Abuja.
He said that as the PTF continues to assess the developments nationwide, it found out that non-compliance had been largely fueled by skepticism and ignorance about the virus.
He noted that stigmatisation had further impacted on the willingness of people to come out to seek help and tell their stories.
“The nature of this pandemic demands that we must detect and treat it in order to address it.
“Let me emphasise, therefore, that COVID-19 is not a condition to be ashamed of as it has no respect for status, nationality, race, creed, tribe among others.”
He said that every person infected must be treated to prevent spread and avoidable fatalities.
Mr Mustapha stated that as the PTF moved to deepen the community engagement and risk communication in the phase of national response, the PTF still reiterated the need for ownership.
He added that there was need to take responsibility and expand the scope of sensitisation, adding that all of these would combine to make ability to detect, trace, isolate and treat nationwide successful.
He said all through the month, the PTF communicated to Nigerians in different ways, the dangers of complacency and non-compliance with measures prescribed for the fight against COVID-19.
“Particularly, Nigerians are reminded that there is presently no known vaccine for the virus and that all over the world, non-pharmaceutical measures still remained the most effective.
“Avoiding being infected remains the best choice for everyone,” Mustapha said.
NAN
