UNICEF urges people to seek information from trusted sources

• Nasarawa douses tension over spread, convenes stakeholders forum
• Niger to set up emergency centres

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has cautioned people against relying on information from social media about the Coronavirus pandemic that cannot be trusted.

In a statement by its Communication Officer, Blessing Ejiofor, it urged the people to only trust information from verifiable sources.

She said UNICEF was aware of messages being circulated and falsely attributed to the organisation, adding, “As concerns increase around Covid-19 (Coronavirus) globally, with information shared on WhatsApp and other social media platforms, UNICEF urged the public to trust information only from verified sources.

“UNICEF is aware of messages being circulated that are being falsely attributed to the organisation and stressed that all genuine information can be found on its website, www.unicef.org, including information on how to protect families and their loved ones from the virus. People can also see the World Health Organisation (WHO) website for further updated information.

“UNICEF, in collaboration with the WHO, is supporting the Nigerian government’s response appropriately to the outbreak.”

Besides, to douse the fear of contracting Coronavirus, Nasarawa State Commissioner for Health, Ahmed Yahaya has convened a stakeholders meeting to commence an awareness campaign on prevention of the disease.

Addressing the stakeholders at the state Ministry of Health in Lafia, Yahaya said the state was ready to combat the disease in the event of any outbreak.

He said the state government has equipped two isolation centers at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Keffi and the Dalhatu Arafat Specialist Hospital, Lafia.

Yahaya assured that trained health personnel and medical equipment have been put in place to tackle the disease in case of any outbreak.

He disclosed that the proximity of the state to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja could be responsible for the panic in the state, assuring that the state government has placed all health workers on red apart.

On his part, Executive Secretary of the state Primary Health Care Development Agency (PHCDA), Dr. Usman Mohammed Adis, said the agency has embarked on sensitisation of the people on how to prevent or report any suspected cases at the grassroots level.

Meanwhile, Governor Abubakar Sani Bello of Niger State has directed that Coronavirus emergency centres be set up in the state to prepare for any eventuality.

Bello directed the Ministry of Health to ensure that it establishes Coronavirus emergency centres in Minna, Bida, Kontagora, Suleja and New Bussa, during the reintroduction of monthly sanitation exercise in Minna.

The governor, who noted that the country has been grappling with the fight against malaria, Lassa fever and now Coronavirus got the ministry’s assurance of its capacity to contain and handle its outbreak.