On Friday, March 27, 2020 the government of Enugu State announced through its ministry of health the confirmation that two patients who presented on their own to the State’s health facility tested POSITIVE to Corona Virus (COVID-19)
We thank the state government immensely for this update.
It is important to note that so far, this is the first State in the South East Region of Nigeria with confirmed positive case(s) of CODIV-19.
There is therefore need for the prevention of a further spread of this virus both within Enugu State and other South Eastern States.
It is also important to note, that there is no guarantee that there are no positive cases in other States of the federation (including other South East states) where no case has been officially reported given that some of these states have very few or no testing kits at all.
We recommend that as a follow -up to the announcement by the state government encouraging all returnees from overseas to submit themselves for evaluation, the state government should also encourage all those who are aware of those who recently returned from foreign countries and those that are showing some symptoms peculiar with the virus, to send the necessary information (including full names, contact address and phone numbers) of these persons to the rapid response team. This is to facilitate quicker response to these cases and to facilitate urgent contact tracing, testing, isolation and treatment of cases as may be necessary.
The state should also put in place measures to discourage false information from the public. Ultimately, it is expected that these measures would help address the challenges of persons who ordinarily will not voluntarily present themselves for testing.
We recommend also that the Enugu State Government adapts some of the measures currently undertaken by Lagos State Government such as disinfecting streets, preparing adequate facilities to serve as isolation and treatment centers, due documentation of all persons entering Enugu State for ease of tracing and enforcement of the directives given by WHO, Nigerian Center for Decease Control (NCDC), Enugu State and the Federal government.
The government should also provide some welfare packages including donation of food items to the poor and vulnerable to help them cope during the lockdown in line with Section 17(3)(g) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which provides that the State shall direct its policy towards ensuring that provision is made for public assistance in deserving cases or other conditions of need.
Again whilst taking steps to curb the spread of this virus, care should be taken to ensure that citizens are not subjected to certain human rights abuses by law enforcement agents. Recalling that Section 17 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria provides that the states social order is to be founded on ideals of freedom equality and justice and government actions in furtherance of the social order shall be humane.
While the state government takes urgent steps to stop the spread of this pandemic, let us also not forget the plight and vulnerability of those locked up in detention centers and other custodial facilities especially awaiting trial persons who are still within the constitutional protection of being innocent until proven guilty.
Urgent steps should be taken to decongest Custodial/Detention facilities in the state to enable the observance of social distancing and for improved sanitary conditions.
We also recommend that the government should ensure that detention facilities in the state have adequate supply of clean water and other sanitary needs to help protect the inmates from this deadly virus.
Finally, we call on all persons residing in Enugu state to cooperate with the government in controlling this pandemic by ensuring they stay home (except those on essential duties), keep personal hygiene, wash their hands/use sanitizers regularly and maintain social distance to help limit the spread of this virus.
We also call on individuals and groups from private and voluntary sector including professional associations, community based associations, faith based organizations, NGOs to assist the government in creating awareness on the above measures.
SIGNED:
Chioma Anuna Ogbo
For: PRAWA, Enugu.