Global Impacts and Nigeria Responsiveness to the COVID-19 Pandemic

The Coronavirus Disease – 2019 (COVID-19) is officially now a pandemic and not just a public health emergency of international concern as previously labelled. Worldwide, the new coronavirus has infected more than 4.9 million people and leaving more than 300,000 people dead in 188 countries. As countries of the world get locked down in an effort to contain the widespread of the virus, experts are concern about the global impacts of the pandemic on individuals, countries and the world at large. Millions of people are currently under quarantine across the globe. Many countries have responded by proclaiming a public health emergency, closed their borders and restrict incoming flights from high risk countries. This has grossly affected the travel plan of many. Several international programs, conferences, workshops and sporting activities are either postponed or cancelled. As the number of confirmed cases continues to escalate across the globe, hospitals seems to be running out of medical supplies, hospital spaces and personnel. Health workers are being overwhelmed by the numbers of people requesting for testing and treatment. Many of such health workers have been infected with the coronavirus and even lost their lives since the fight against COVID-19 started. Public health experts are also concerned about the huge medical wastes coming from the hospitals at this time and the adverse effects associated with improper management of such medical wastes, both at the hospital and community levels. The pandemic has also impacted negatively on the global economy. There have been serious crises in the stock market, with gross fall in the price of crude oil resulting in inflation and economic hardship among the populace. Many are currently out of job and as a result, the level of crime, protest and violence have continued to escalate in different parts of the world. The deaths of loved ones due to the coronavirus has left many emotionally traumatized. Nigeria, like other African countries is not spared of the ravaging effects of the pandemic, even as the government take strict measures to contain the virus. No doubt, this is very challenging, but the country is capable of surmounting the virus with the needed help from her international partners and cooperation from the citizenry. But if we as a people, remain complacent and continue with business as usual, without taking measures to flatten the curve, the disease will escalate too quickly beyond our capacity to handle and our health system will be overwhelmed and may collapse eventually. We cannot therefore afford to be complacent in our response to containing the pandemic.