With the outbreak of the strange coronavirus pandemic, many countries, especially those with a weak health care delivery system panicked when they observed the devastating effect the outbreak had on both the economies and human lives of top flight countries.
Although Nigeria was not among one of the first countries to record cases of coronavirus infection or death, nevertheless frantic efforts were made to hurriedly put in place some measures to help minimize the effects of the pandemic.
It was with this sense of necessity that Nigeria approved the invite of a 15-man Chinese medical team expected to share expert knowledge to help prevent coronavirus spread in Nigeria.
The PDP’S 48-Hour Ultimatum
The Daily Independent reports that the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) gave the Buhari-led federal government a 48-hour deadline to reveal the whereabouts of the Chinese medical team supposedly invited to help in Nigeria’s fight against the spread of coronavirus.
The PDP, in a statement by its spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan, said the party’s stance is based on the disturbing signals following a declaration by the Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, that he could not account for the whereabouts of the Chinese team, who were brought into Nigeria from the epicenter of the covid-19 pandemic.
Dr. Osagie’s statement has seriously increased tension in public space about the Chinese, whose activities and identities have been kept a big secret, might have been invited to Nigeria by a certain cabal for another purpose different from what was declared.
The Reason the Chinese were Allowed into Nigeria
The Daily Independent also reports that the PDP described as questionable that Dr. Osagie, who repeatedly gave assurance that the Chinese were invited to offer medical services and training and even personally went to welcome them at the International Airport, Abuja, on April 8, 2020, in an elaborately-publicized event, could no longer account for the team.
Mr. Kola Ologbodiyan of the PDD said the party is expressing worry over scary reports of a spike of coronavirus in some countries reportedly after the arrival of the Chinese medical personnel and insists the Buhari administration should be held responsible should there be any sudden rise in coronavirus infection and deaths in Nigeria.
The Cause for Alarm
The Sun Newspaper notes that the PDP is disturbed that the government is not telling the entire truth, with its officials playing politics with the lives of citizens and the health safety of Nigeria.
The PDP said the government’s inability to account for the Chinese team amounts to a betrayal of public trust and has the capacity to heighten fears of conspiracies by certain unscrupulous elements within the corridors of power.
Nigerians could clearly recall how the federal government ignored responding to queries by the PDP and other citizens for the particulars of the members of the Chinese team, their medical status, scope of operation, detailed itinerary within the country as well as other details about their entry into our nation.
Initial Resistance against Inviting the Chinese
The Premium Times report that many well-meaning Nigerians and other medical professionals had initially disagreed with the federal government’s decision to invite the medical experts, suggesting Nigeria had enough human resources to defeat the coronavirus pandemic.
Also, the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) remarks that the move to bring in the Chinese medical team is embarrassing to the membership of the association and other health workers offering quality service to fatherland under deplorable conditions.
