By Eze Nwabueze
The federal government has been called upon to urgently declare Health Emergency in all the states of the federation, through the provision of emergency funds from the consolidated account to tackle the coronavirus pandemic
The called was contained in a press statement issued to newsmen in Onitsha, Anambra state yesterday by a human rights group, World Alliance Against Terrorism, Violence and Inhuman Treatment (WAATVIT).
In the statement signed by its African President, Dr. Anthony Orunkoya Esq., WAATVIT stated that the current budgetary allocation in Nigeria for the health sector is barely enough to take care of primary health care programs and projects in Nigeria and as such if Corona virus should spread further than this in Nigeria, it would not only be devastating but overwhelming for the current budgetary allocation in the health sector to bear.
Orunkoya argued that the practice of treating persons suspected to be carriers of Covid-19 at regular hospitals or health centres across Nigeria is wrong and against World Health Organization, WHO regulations on disease and pandemic control.
According to Dr. Orunkoya who is a legal practitioner, “government act of treating Covid-19 patients in regular hospitals or health centres puts patients with regular ailments who are in such hospitals for treatment at great risk and offends human rights provision of right to life which is constitutionally guaranteed and provided in lnternational Conventions on Human Rights”.
The group therefore urge States and Federal Government to emulate China and USA on the practice of pandemic control and commence as a matter of urgency building and equipping Special health and pandemic control centres to diagnose, admit and treat victims of Corona virus and other pandemic deceases across Nigeria by using funds from the consolidated account as special intervention funds for such projects.
