From: valiwuchukwu@yahoo.com [NaijaPolitics] <NaijaPolitics@yahoogroups.com>
Date: Tue, 28 Apr 2020 at 11:12
Subject: [NaijaPolitics] MANAGING COVID-19, THE ANAMBRA WAY
MANAGING COVID-19, THE ANAMBRA WAY
By Val Iwuchukwu
In a state where large number of her population are educated, everyone is either an expert or claiming to be one. In a situation where a pandemic is believed to have no cure and no vaccine, it is all comers affairs, every shade of opinion becomes expert opinion which if not managed properly can be catastrophic.
Governance is not easy, it was Prof Chukwuma Soludo who wrote against the copy and paste policy of our leaders over the management of covid-19 pandemic. He however argued that it is better to do what others are doing instead of doing nothing.
I think every challenge has its peculiar circumstances and that's why it impacts on individuals and nations differently. Some countries have robust economy that can withstand long term lockdown of the economy but majority have not. It is fool hardy to copy such total lockdown policy when one knows that it is sustainable.
It is the responsibility of the governors to determine what is best for their states under their peculiar circumstances. In Anambra State for instance, the government was heavily criticised for the lock down because of just one active case. It was argued that the closure of the inter state borders while ensuring enforcement of the preventive measures against the spread of the pandemic would have been adequate.
An outsider criticizing government policy may not know what those in charge know. Those in government have a special way they gather and analyse data which an outsider doesn't know. For example after the index case in Anambra State, 67 specimen which included mainly those that had close contact with the index case was tested. This 67 persons are potential covid-19 patients pending confirmation. Is it not better considering the situation on ground that the state at that point is on lockdown than risking more infection?
Happy enough, the entire 67 returned negative and the index case equally tested negative twice and has since been discharged. So, as at today, Anambra State is covid-19 free. Common sense demands that Anambra State economy should be unlocked gradually.
Some critics are crying that the state government want to turn Anambra to theater of misery and death as in Kano. But they forget that Anambra work with different data, different environment and vision.
Talking of data, WHO and European Center for Disease Control reported that all countries with a population of over 200 million except Nigeria have reported minimum of 2000 deaths. This shows that there are different circumstances across international and even inter state borders.
Let me come to Anambra way. It has been said that covid-19 has been handled efficiently and effectively using Anambra way/spirit. This spirit entails over kill instead of not killing at all. It was H E Willie Obiano and Prof Soludo that let the cat out of the bag. It is their opinion that the management of the pandemic entails first of all starting by applying what we already know while experimenting with that which we were told to try by WHO and others. One reasons that if what they are doing in the West have not helped reduced the death over there, there is need to adapt our management of the scourge in line with our environment. US government have consistently posited that they can not wait for summer. They claimed that the virus die within 60 minutes of being exposed to high humidity and temperature over 27°C. This reminds us the way we treat flu, cold, fever and pneumonia in traditional African society.
So when a covid-19 patient is exposed to morning sunshine and caused to inhale steam vapour spiced with traditional ingredients, he is receiving the best treatment we know and the therapy we trust. Administration of hydrochloroquine is secondary.
It is not miracle that the Anambra index case recovered in a few days. It is normal for those that know how prepared Anambra State is. Another example, when others were scrambling for imported face mask, Anambrarians were encouraged through the town union to ignore potentially contaminated foreign mask from covid-19 endemic countries but to improvise one through local tailors. This is how uncompromising Anambra can be when it comes to the wellbeing of her citizens. Anambra State is gradually unlocking, we are in the farming season and after covid-19, we will not go hungry. Though like a book with seven seals, it will seem like a miracle to those who do not know how we prepared and the force that moves us.
Success leaves track, if another state copy exactly what a successful state is doing, the state will achieve the same successful result. The Light permeates... Anambra State, The Light of The Nation.
Val Iwuchukwu
Attorney at Law and natural philosopher writes from Ọzụbụlụ, Anambra State
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