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Geoffrey Onyeama, Minister of Foreign Affairs, says the three strategies he personally improvised did not stop him from contracting the dreaded coronavirus disease.
The Minister who recently recovered from the virus after three weeks of undergoing treatment, said the issue of stigmatisation is nothing to be ashamed, adding that anybody could contract the virus disease.
Onyeama stated this in Abuja on Thursday at the joint national briefing of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19.
“I have to say that one of the things I was thinking about is that the PTF is like a military high command. It occurred to me that none has been tested positive,” he said.
“Maybe it was a good thing that a member of the team can now speak from experience and not just from hearing. COVID-19 is real. I used to have three layers of protection but it did not stop that.
“I will like to say that the issue of stigmatisation is nothing to be ashamed of. Anybody can get this virus and it is nothing to fear. It is not a death sentence.
“In my case, the moment I felt something different on a Friday, I was tested the following day but we don’t have the capacity.
“I was discussing with the Minister of Health that if people cannot be tested sooner enough, they can recommend some medication. Don’t feel it is anything shameful. Just treat it like any other sickness.”
“I will like to use the opportunity to thank the medical crew in the isolation I was staying and very proud that they are Nigerians.
“We can be negative on ourselves but for the three weeks in isolation, I cannot speak more highly of our medical crew. The most agreeable. I could even go back there for weekends. I really congratulate them for the work they did.”
According to last update from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), 373 new COVID-19 cases were confirmed, taking the total to 48,116, while fatalities and recoveries rose to 966 and 34,309 respectively.
