Dr. Betta Edu, chairman, health commissioners of Nigeria
By Akpan David, Calabar
The national chairman of all commissioners for health in Nigeria, Dr Betta Edu has called on the Presidential Task Force on COVID19 and the National Center for Disease Control to extend more supports to states to enable them better confront the ravage of the virus.
It would be recalled that last week, both the PTF and NCDC had a session in Abuja where both agencies of the federal government appraised efforts at battling the ravages of the second wave of the Coronavirus in the country, and commended Cross River and other states for their active efforts against the virus.
Dr Edu who is also the Commissioner for health and chairman of COVID19 Response Team in Cross River State, had spoken at the occasion, listing challenges and efforts made so far by herself and colleagues.
But speaking on behalf of other health commissioners in Calabar interview with journalists, Edu stressed the need for the federal government to extend greater logistics to the affected states to revive heir labs and Isolation Centres for COVID19 victims.
Edu however thanked the PTF for its support to all states last year, noting that lots more still needs to be done to strengthen the response in all the states.
She emphasised that they needed the cold chain equipment even as they expected the arrival of the COVID vaccines this month.
Edu said she had held meeting with the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha last week in Abuja where she impressed on the need for greater response to Cross River and other states in the Federation which are experiencing some challenges in the national COVID-19 response.
She said in the face of the second wave of COVID-19, the support required by affected states is an emergency, calling on, leaderships of PTF and NCDC to intervene immediately.
Last week, the NCDC director general, Dr Chikwe had noted that 85% of equipment required to rebuild and equip the Cross River Reference Laboratory and such affected states have been purchased and would be deployed soon.
