The
Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, has lamented that Kogi State
never accepted the assistance rendered by its official in trying to
trace COVID-19 patients in the State.
NCDC
DG, Director-General, Chikwe Ihekweazu was reacting to the
misunderstanding between the body’s official and the Kogi State
Governor, Yahaya Bello.
Bello had asked officials of the NCDC to leave the State after they refused his directive of going into isolation and being tested for COVID-19.
The
State’s Commissioner for Information, Kingsley Fanwo, in a statement,
wondered if NCDC officials had something to hide by refusing to be
tested for COVID-19.
However, Ihekweazu said Bello was saddled with the primary responsibility of the health security of his State.
The NCDC DG spoke during the Presidential Task force on COVID-19 daily briefing in Abuja, yesterday.
According
to Ihekweazu: “You can only offer help where the help is wanted.
Yesterday we offered that help but it wasn’t in a place where the help
could be accepted.
“Unfortunately, that is what happened last night. The reality is that we have had a great relationship with Kogi.
“We
have supported Kogi State in every possible way. It is one of the first
states that has an Emergency Operation Centre (EOC) supported by the
NCDC.
“I
think in the long term, the purpose of our existence is to support the
states. They have the primary responsibility of the health security in
their state.”
