Kogi State Government has faulted comments made by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, which it considered aimed at defaming and shaming the state over it’s zero case of COVID-19.
The Director-General of the NCDC, Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu, had said that states with zero cases of COVID-19 are most likely negligent in testing and tracing or actively hiding the disease within their territories.
In a statement by the state Commissioner for Information, Kingsley Fanwo, the state argued that the state government doggedly followed all the rules and measures prescribed by the NCDC and World Health Organisation COVID-19 advisories, both for identifying active cases and preventing spread.
He said;
“What we expect from the National Centre for Disease Control is a commendation of our efforts to contain the outbreak of the pandemic.”
“The governor of Kogi State does not believe that increasing the burden on the overwhelmed NCDC and the other agencies cum resources labouring in the frontlines of our response to this deadly pandemic, when neither case nor cause for such has genuinely risen in the state, is helping the country in any way.
“We have also adhered strictly to the various guidelines from, and directives of, the federal government, customised to improve both efficiency and efficacy within the peculiarities of our own circumstances.
“While we are not surprised that they have worked for us so far in keeping our state COVID-19-free, we do find it disconcerting that the lead agency in the fight is possibly expressing doubt in their efficacy while simultaneously denouncing us for following her own guidelines.
“As of today, we insist that Kogi state has no confirmed case of COVID-19 or any case to the knowledge of our vigilant medical structures across the state which matches the suspected or high-risk factors for it. If the situation changes at this very moment we shall not hesitate for a second before alerting the NCDC.”
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