The Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH), has called on the Chinese government to lend its technical support to the fight against coronavirus (COVID19), in the country.
This followed the 36 confirmed cases, two discharged, and one death recorded.
The Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, made the plea when the Chinese ambassador to Nigeria, Zhou Pingjian, made a donation of medical supplies and equipment to the ministry on Monday in Abuja.
Ehanire commended the Chinese government for winning the fight against COVID-19 as businesses and organisations have been allowed to reopen.
He said that the measures implemented by the Chinese government during the outbreak would be instructive to the country in order to control the virus.
The minister said that the experience in China reinforced the importance of listening to science and public health experts during pandemic events.
He, therefore, asked the Chinese government to support Nigeria with its public health experts that would aid the country to review its strategies.
He said that Nigeria would like to learn from the Chinese government on how they were able to put in place unprecedented containment and social distancing measures.
Ehanire said that the country needs mobility for contact tracing, ventilators, testing kits, and personal protective equipment (PPE), to aid the fight against COVID-19 in the country.
Earlier, Pingjian said that they would not forget the sympathy and support extended by Nigeria when the Chinese people were in the most challenging stage of battling the epidemic.
Viruses respect no borders. In the face of public health emergencies, a common challenge to humanity, the most powerful weapon we have is solidarity and cooperation.
“To protect the health and well-being of the Nigerian people and actually all the people living in Nigeria, the authorities have been working assiduously on the epidemic response in a science-based, rational and professional way from day one, ” he noted.
The ambassador said that the Chinese government has full confidence in Nigeria’s determination and capacity to defeat the virus ultimately.
He advocated for Nigerians to continue to treat the Chinese national in the country as their brothers and sisters.
“You throw a peach to me, and I give you a white jade for friendship” it is China’s traditional virtue to repay goodwill with greater kindness,” he said.
Zhou noted that China would support Nigeria in the fight against COVID-19 and stand ready to assist, to the best of its capacity.
He said that despite the daunting task of epidemic control remaining in China, China would try its best to provide medical supplies to Nigeria and do whatever it could to support the country.
“China will continue to share information and experience with Nigeria and strengthen cooperation on containment, treatment and vaccines in response to the COVID-19 challenge, with a view to building together a community of shared health for mankind,” he said.
Reports have it that items donated were gloves, N95 masks, N-95 mask, Surgical mask, shoe covers, headcovers, Digital clinical thermometers, and handheld non-contact infrared thermometers.
Others are hand sanitisers with dispenser stands and refills, chlorine disinfectant bleach, disposable surgical gowns, white safety boots, liquid hand wash, couch rolls, Tyvek suits, goggles, laptops, desktops, printers, copiers, and scanner machines.
