Chinese Laboratory
The Director-General, National Orientation Agency (NOA), Dr. Garba Abari has cleared the air over the Federal Government’s decision to import Chinese medical experts as Nigeria battles COVID-19 pandemic.
Abari who gave the clarification when he featured on a live radio program in Abuja said the experts were not invited to directly take charge of the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
The DG explained that the 18-man Chinese medical team was only coming to share their experience with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), on how the pandemic was handled in China.
“Whatever information the Chinese medical team made available to NCDC will be filtered and applied to address the peculiar challenges of the country on handling COVID-19 scourge.
“This is a global pandemic and from wherever assistance comes, you cannot reject it. “For instance, the United States is opening its doors to all volunteers that will come and assist them because they are also getting overwhelmed.
“Despite its fine medical facilities and expertise, the US is now saying any form of assistance coming from anywhere that will add value to the fight against COVID-19 is welcome.
“It is not as if the government of Nigeria is not appreciating efforts of its own medical experts. This is the time when Nigeria is proud and appreciating its own medical experts and showcasing its best.
“This is the time that Nigeria is mopping all its competent hands, both active and inactive, and bringing them together with a view to ensure that we beef up competent human capacity required to address the issue at hand,” he said.
You will recall that the Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, had said last Friday that 18 Chinese doctors were on their way to Nigeria with medical supplies including ventilators, to assist in overcoming the COVID-19 global pandemic.