An Abuja-based public health specialist, Dr Yashua Alkali, has said that Nigerians are no longer in doubt that the Coronavirus pandemic is real and deadly.
Mrs Alkali, a consultant pediatrician and the chief executive officer of Childcare and Wellness Clinics in Abuja, said Nigerians are now convinced by seeing many high profile figures contacting the virus, and terrible news from other countries as well.
According to her, Nigerians would get a clearer picture of the successes recorded in containing the pandemic within the next two weeks.
She said: “It was stressful because people don’t listen. Before it came to Nigeria it was difficult to get people to take us seriously but with all the high profile figures now with it (covid19) and terrible news from other countries, it’s sinking in.
“And with the support from private sector and absolute incredible work by the NCDC is keeping our hope all alive. The next two weeks are crucial. That is when we will know if we have won the fight or lost. I hope that we have won.
“Because it will give us time to see our trajectory. We can see if the cases are following an exponential growth or if we are able to flatten the curve.”
Mrs Alkali, who had been actively involved in disseminating risk awareness messages through various channels, is working with some government hospital workers to provide them with personal protective equipment, PPEs.
She also held training for health care providers on pandemic preparedness.
