The United Nations (UN) has defended the World Health Organisation (WHO) against criticisms that it gave bad advice during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak in China.
The criticisms were coming from U.S. politicians, including President Donald Trump, who alleged on Tuesday evening that WHO was “China-centric”.
Speaking at the daily coronavirus taskforce news briefing in Washington, Trump accused the global health body of being too focused on China.
The president said the organisation made the wrong decisions about the initial coronavirus outbreak, including advising against border closure against China.
“The WHO blew it, they really blew it, for some reason, funded largely by the United States, yet very China centric. We will be giving that a good look.
“Fortunately, I rejected their advice on keeping our borders open to China early on. Why did they give us such a faulty recommendation?”
“We are going to put a hold on money spent to WHO. We’re going to put a very powerful hold on it and we’re gonna see.
“They seem to err always on the side of China, we will look at ending funding because you know they called it wrong,” he said.
But spokesperson to the UN Secretary-General, Mr Stephane Dujarric, dismissed the criticism, saying WHO had done “tremendous work on COVID-19”.
“For the Secretary-General, it is clear that WHO, under the leadership of Dr Tedros, has done tremendous work on COVID-19.
“This includes supporting countries with millions of equipment being shipped out, on helping countries with training, on providing global guidelines.
“WHO is showing the strength of the international health system,” he told newsmen in New York.
Before Trump’s comments, some U.S. lawmakers had asked WHO Director-General, Tedros Ghebreyesus, to resign for allegedly allowing China to cover up the true impact of the disease.
Republican Senator Martha McSally said that the 3,331 deaths reported by the Chinese government was far less than the actual figure.
Speaking on Fox News, McSally said WHO D-G should be partly blamed for China’s lack of transparency in its reporting of the outbreak.
“Dr Tedros deceived the world. At one point, he even praised China’s ‘transparency during its coronavirus response efforts.
“This was despite a mountain of evidence showing the regime concealed the severity of the outbreak. This deception cost lives,” she said.
Texan Republican Senator, Ted Cruz, also called on WHO to consider replacing the director-general.
Cruz said WHO had “consistently bent to the will of the Chinese Communist Party at the expense containing the spread of the coronavirus”.
According to British newspaper, Daily Daily, when China reported 17,238 infections and 361 deaths in February, Ghebreyesus said there was no need for other countries to shut their borders against it.
He said measures that “unnecessarily interfere with international travel and trade” were not needed in trying to halt the spread of the virus, the paper reported.
The report further stated that the D-G on March 20 praised the Chinese government for the lack of new domestic #COVID19 cases.
China recorded 3,331 COVID-19 deaths and 81,708 infections, but many have speculated that this number is much higher and that China is trying to cover up the true reality of the spread, according to the paper.
In Nigeria, the Commissioner of Police in Enugu State, Mr Ahmad Abdurrahman, has warned residents to respect the shutdown of public places order to avoid contracting Coronavirus (COVID-19).
Abdurrahman said the police would enforce the shutdown of public places, including places of worship, to check spread of COVID-19 pandemic.
The Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Daniel Ndukwe, quoted the commissioner as saying this in a statement on Wednesday in Enugu.
Ndukwe said that the commissioner reassured the general public of his command’s unwavering commitment to enforce government’s restriction orders on curbing the spread of the Coronavirus.
“This reassurance is in view of the agreement reached between the government of Enugu State and leaders of religious organisations to shutdown places of worship till further notice.
“And the consequent denial by the Anglican Bishop of Enugu Diocese, Most Rev. Emmanuel Chukwuma, of media reports alleging that he opposed the government and police by not shutting down branches of the church over the COVID-19 pandemic as agreed.
“The Commissioner, while taking into cognisance the priestly agreement and rebuttal of the alleged media reports, has enjoined citizenry, especially members of the clergy, to ensure continuous compliance with the orders and shutdown of churches, mosques and other public places of worship.
“He noted that the Command will continue to professionally do everything within it powers to enforce the orders as stipulated, irrespective of whose Ox is gored,’’ he said.
The police spokesman also noted that the commissioner advised the citizenry to remain vigilante, steadfast and prayerful in the fight against the deadly scourge.
“The citizenry should reach the Command on 08032003702, 08075390882 or 08086671202, or by sending electronic mail to [email protected] for emergencies, complaints, enquiries and suggestions,’’ he said.
Governor Aminu Masari of Katsina State has lifted suspension on Friday congregational prayer with immediate effect.
The lifting of the suspension was announced by the Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Mustapha Inuwa, in a statement on Tuesday in Katsina.
“Following a meeting held today involving the Katsina State Government, religious leaders, traditional rulers and security agents to review some measures taken by the government to prevent spread of covid-19 in the state.
“The Executive Governor has directed that the suspension of Friday prayers be lifted with immediate effect; however, the prayers will be conducted under some stipulated health and security guidelines.
“The Jumu’at Imams should, however, avoid prolonged sermons in order to discharge their followers within the shortest period.
“People are also strongly advised to maintain social distancing and adhere strictly to all the rules and regulations provided by the health experts in fighting the contagious disease,” he said.
Meanwhile, a medical doctor, Clement Ekere, has advised Nigerians to also sanitise their phone jackets as further safeguard against the spread of the Conoravirus.
Ekere made the call in Jos, Plateau State on Tuesday during a stakeholders meeting organised by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) while speaking on the topic “History of Epidemic and Pandemic”.
The occasion was a one-day Stakeholders Preparedness and Strategic Plan on the COVID-19 Pandemic in the North Central Zone.
Ekere, who is the Vice-Chairman, Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) in the North-Central State, noted that the pandemic had no cure for now and advised that people adapt preventive measures as safeguard.
“Prevention is key. Nigerians are advised to think of removing and sanitising their phone jackets which has become a handy device to almost all and sundry,“ he said.
According to him, what doctors do medically is preventive; this disease from China as we know poses a threat to the global community with 1.3 million already confirmed cases and 67,000 deaths recorded as at the time of the conference.
“There is no known specific treatment or vaccine for the pandemic, people are only doing trial and error.
“Cases should be promptly reported to relevant agencies of government to avoid a situation where the various medical facilities will be overrun,” he said.
Some of the measures to adapt, he said, should include adequate and regular washing of the hands with soap under running water, use of hand sanitisers to avoid close contact with sick people, keeping sick people at home, giving your face a respite among others and to also sanitise your phone jackets and where necessary, self isolation when you feel sick.
In his opening address, Mr Eugene Nyelong, the Zonal Coordinator, NEMA North Central, said the workshop was for preparedness level appraisal.
He said the meeting aimed at checking the readiness and preparedness level of stakeholders in regards with COVID-19.
Besides, he said the meeting was also to register the scope of incident management, utilise available facilities maximally and effective means of communication within Plateau State.
