COVID-19 PANDEMIC: SAVE HUMANITY THROUGH GOOD LEADERSHIP AND SOLIDARITY TO DEFEAT THE CORONAVIRUS

Abstract

Aim: To assess the Public health crisis and Potential social and economic crises caused by the
Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Nigeria.
Methods: The information used in this article were retrieved from online publications, newspapers and 
personal field experience as a member of Edo State case management pillar and infections, prevention 
and control pillar COVID-19. Also, as the director of infections, prevention and control, co-coordinator of 
preparedness and prompt response to COVID-19, Igbinedion University Teaching Hospital (IUTH), Okada, 
and a member of guideline monitoring of COVID-19, Igbinedion University Okada, (IUO), Edo State.
Result: Nigeria was found to be the third-highest Covid-19 cases in Africa, trailing South Africa and Egypt 
with over fourteen thousand people who have been infected by the novel coronavirus. Despite all these 
figures, many Nigerians appear not to believe that Covid-19 is real, while others gloat that Covid-19 is 
mainly targeting the country's elite, particularly politicians. But with borders closed and each country 
haunted by its own Covid-19 nightmare, Nigeria's big men and women were forced to use their 
country's hospitals, prompting a stream of taunts and jokes. The infections and deaths by COVID-19 in 
Nigeria and elsewhere in Africa generally indicate a low level contrary to the WHO projection. The 
fatality rate in Nigeria is between 2.9% to 3.6% after three months of the pandemic. After 100 days 
of the index case of Covid-19, the virus has spread to 35 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The caseload however keeps increasing, especially in Lagos, Abuja, Kano, Ogun and Edo State. Seventy 
nine thousand nine hundred forty eight people has been tested, and four thousand two hundred and six 
people had been successfully treated and discharged as at 9th June, 2020. The cases with travel history 
went from 100% to a current 2%. Twenty three percent of cases were contacts of confirmed cases while 
source of infection of 75% was a reflection of ongoing community transmission in Nigeria. A small 
proportion of the population attests to have received any support from the government. However, 
some private sectors, religious leaders, churches, mosques and non-governmental organisations 
provided a lot of support to communities across the country.
Conclusion: Timely and evidence-based information is the best vaccine against rumors and 
misinformation. Information, communication and education are the most important resource to 
enable a population to make informed decisions on how to take care of their health, and to 
prevent rumors and misinformation. The Nigerian government must aim to protect its citizens and 
provide them with the necessary commodities or funds to help mitigate the consequences of this 
pandemic.