The Federal Government of Nigeria has announced the allocation of N620m to prevent the potential outbreak of coronavirus in the country.
Amid the global spread of the deadly coronavirus, Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire, briefed the Senate Committee on health regarding the ministry’s proactive measures to prevent the virus from reaching Nigeria.
Ehanire revealed that a memo requesting the release of N620m was submitted by the ministry to implement preventive measures against the spread of the virus.
Additionally, he mentioned that the ministry conducted a multi-stakeholder meeting to introduce port health services for screening all incoming passengers to Nigeria.
Concerns were raised by the Senate about the lack of screenings for chartered flight passengers in the domestic flights wing of the airports, potentially leading to the importation of the virus into Nigeria.
Consequently, the Senate instructed Ehanire to deploy health officials to the private tarmac and conduct screenings for VIPs arriving on chartered flights.