At midday on March 17, a week after the World Health Organisation declared the novel coronavirus a pandemic and 20 days after Nigeria reported its, Chikwe Ihekweazu — a consultant epidemiologist now leading Nigeria’s war against the spread of COVID-19 — called a meeting of top medical experts to appraise the country’s preparedness.
“The total number of ICUs in the country was put at 350,” a source present at the meeting told PREMIUM TIMES, saying the meeting was held in “top secret” to avoid aggravating Nigerians about insufficient treatment mechanisms available in the country. The 71 facilities that NCDC experts found are ICU-equipped contain both public and private hospitals across Nigeria, officials said.
Throughout last week, Messrs Ihekweazu and Enihare, as well as health ministry spokesperson, Enefaa Bob-Manuel, all declined PREMIUM TIMES’ request for comment on the briefing.As the fight to contain COVID-19 becomes increasingly intense, countries across the world are racing to expand their ICUs in anticipation of many people who are likely to fall critically ill and overwhelm existing health capacity.
On Friday, after General Motors announced it might not be able to produce more than 8,000 ventilators between now and April ending, the president invoked defence production laws to compel the major manufacturer to produce thousands more for Americans.He had previously maintained his reluctance to use his defence production powers, and his breakaway underscores how crucial ventilators are in protecting lives amidst the pandemic.
But, looking at countries with a superior health infrastructure, including thousands of ICUs and ventilators, scrambling to cope with coronavirus cases in their jurisdictions, experts in Nigeria are worried of dire days ahead. Mr Musa said in the entire Kaduna State, only the 44 Reference Hospital and the Nigerian Air Force Base have a few functional ICUs, which he strongly doubted would be made available to non-military citizens.
And Corona in Nigeria will never get to 200 cases in Jesus name.
I didn't read the article but I'm pretty certain it's 350 total ICU beds not 350 ICU facilities across the nation. These numbers are very sobering.
Laurestar this should be your focus...not picking on pple or joining on issues.
I hope you are in anyway anticipation that every Nigerian will have the virus
We've been exposed to the whole world. Even a basic necessity our leaders can't provide. As effortless as providing water they cannot, na to provide ICU?
Sad
Ssd
This is wrong title. The plan is not to have 200m people in intensive care unit. More can be set up but the goal is not for all.
Coronavirus cannot affect 200M people. Impossible
🙆🏻♀️🙆🏻♀️🙆🏻♀️🙆🏻♀️🙆🏻♀️
So we have 200 million cases?
We are not prepared
With this government, it is more than 350. With the ways this country is run now, we're all in ICU in our homes.
Are you praying we have 200 million coronavirus cases? No part of the world was prepared for this. Nevertheless, Politicians didn’t do well in Healthcare but pls not ventilators, so many pressing issues on healthcare
Do we expect 200 million Nigerians to be sick of Covid-19?
tijanihabeeb Subtract 20 for Politicians/‘VIPs’ and share the rest
What else is new?
Is it news that health care sector is in shamble?
Do you expect everyone to be a victim? Dangote has started 600units in Kano
Where?
We’re not all getting it.
Premium times do something. You do, I do, we all do things might just get better
The leaders have devour the treasury, and busy fighting ethnic group to control Nigera, let them fight this big corona virus.
That's why the focus is on prevention. Even in the U.S. the national average is 3.6 per 10,000 people. But yeah it's in times like these the ugly underbelly of our healthcare system shows. Thankfully, we are happy to remember this episode either during another crisis or elections
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