Coronavirus: FG urges Nigerians not to stigmatise Chinese, infected persons

Federal Government has assured Nigerians that it is well prepared to combat the deadly coronavirus in the advent of an outbreak in Nigeria. This is even as it called for non-stigmatisation of infected persons.

Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha gave the assurance on Wednesday at a one-day sensitisation programme on the spread of coronavirus and Lassa fever, cautioned that rumours about the spread of the disease should be avoided.

“We have been informed by the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control that they have set up their response centres and that they are mounting surveillance. Medical personnel have also been put on standby to attend to any emerging issues.

“What we are doing today is the responsibility of management to create awareness within our workforce. The issue of stigmatisation should be reduced to the barest minimum. No fiction, no rumours, science, and facts are what we want to deal with,” he added.

Represented by the permanent secretary, General Services Office, Mr. Olusegun Adekunle, Mustapha urged the staff of his office to take the precautionary measures seriously to remain safe.

Earlier in the sensitisation workshop, Head, Response Division in the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, Dr. Olaolu Aderinola, noted that the virus which has so far spread across 23 countries is yet to enter Nigeria.

He urged Nigerians not to stigmatise Chinese residents in the country.

Aderinola also warned against misinformation on the virus especially on the social media, adding that the NCDC is coordinating a Coronavirus Preparedness Group to respond to any possible outbreak.