Pandemic exposing Nigeria’s weak system, says Gbajabiamila

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, has said COVID-19 disease outbreak has exposed the weakness of Nigeria’s health system in the worst way.

He said the country must develop a system to withstand health crisis that may occur in the future.

Gbajabiamila stated this on Tuesday his video message to Nigerians.

The Speaker said the House commends the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), for the ongoing efforts by the Federal Government to manage the outbreak in Nigeria and alleviate the adverse economic and social impact on all the citizens.

Gbajabiamila said that the lawmakers, in every way they could, would continue to support the efforts “to ensure that our people make it through this difficult time with dignity and peace of mind.”

He said, “None of us living in Nigeria today has ever experienced a time such as this. At this moment when our determination to succeed is surpassed only by our recognition of the dire consequences of falling short, we are hopeful that our best efforts will be enough.

“This crisis has exposed in the worst possible way the evident weaknesses of our health system. After this is over and moving forward, we must do everything in our power to ensure that we will never again come upon a moment such as this, as ill-equipped as we are now.

“The transmission of this disease at a scale for which our systems are not prepared is our biggest present threat.

“We alleviate that threat by self-isolating. The bad news of this disease is that everyone is a potential victim, but the good news is that everyone is a potential solution.

“Keep in mind that if we do not rigorously follow these self-isolation guidelines, all our other efforts will at the end of the day come to nothing.

“Let this be for all of us, a time for introspection and prayer, a time to commune with God. Let us spend time with our children.”