Impact of coronavirus pandemic on Nigeria still unclear - UN
- United Nations has expressed concerns about the magnitude of the coronavirus pandemic spread in Nigeria
- The global body noted that it is still unclear what the effect of the deadly disease will look like in the country
- This was disclosed by Edward Kallon, the UN resident and humanitarian coordinator in Nigeria, in Abuja
Following the outbreak of COVID-19 in Nigeria, the United Nations (UN) has expressed concerns about the true magnitude and impact of how the coronavirus pandemic has spread in the country.
This information was disclosed by Edward Kallon, the UN resident and humanitarian coordinator in Nigeria, at the launch of Nigeria/UN COVID-19 Basket Fund in Abuja, on Monday, April 6.
Kallon while noting that the quality of response to the disease must match the scale of the crisis, added that the impact of what the disease will look like in Nigeria is still unclear.
The UN coordinator stressed that testing, isolation, and contact-tracing is the only effective response to the virus.
Kallon went on to note that preliminary analysis, has revealed that the coronavirus pandemic is expected to place a lot of pressure on Nigeria’s healthcare system.
According to him, if proactive measures are not taken to respond and cushion the economic effect of the pandemic this will result in serious economic and fiscal pressure.
He said: “This is a trying moment for all of us as our shared humanity is under threat of COVID-19 pandemic. Societies around the globe are in turmoil and economies are in a nose-dive.
"It is still unclear what the true magnitude of the spread and impact of the virus will look like in Nigeria. The available emerging evidence is, however, clear. The only effective response to the COVID-19 pandemic is testing, isolation, and contact-tracing.
"From preliminary macro and micro social economic analysis, the COVID-19 pandemic is expected to place immense pressure on Nigeria’s healthcare system and will result in a serious economic and fiscal pressure with a risk of a negative social impact, if proactive measures are not taken to prevent, prepare, respond and cushion the economic impact of the pandemic.
"We must respond decisively, innovatively and together to suppress the spread of the virus and address the socio-economic devastation that COVID-19 is causing in our world today."
Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that the international community has rated Nigeria's emergency responses to the outbreak of coronavirus in the country.
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The rating was given by the secretary-general of the United Nations (UN), Antonio Guterres, on Friday, April 3, in New York during a press briefing.
Guterres mentioned Nigeria as one of the developing countries in the world that have demonstrated the capacity to respond to the global pandemic.
The UN chief said that he was especially impressed with the fact that Nigeria was able to put in place a hospital in a stadium compared to some developed nations who experienced a lot of difficulties in efforts to give similar responses.
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Source: Legit.ng