Coronavirus: Getting right information at the right time is key in fighting the disease–Nsirim

Daniel Efe/Port-Harcourt

As part of preventive measures to ensure that Rivers State is in a better stead to combat the dreaded Coronavirus currently spreading across the globe, and which had been detected in Lagos, the State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Pastor Paulinus Nsirim has called for the commitment of the media in the State to give relevant information at the right time.

Giving the charge today in his office, during a multi-sectoral meeting with the State Ministry of Health, the Commissioner said it was essential for the media to understand it’s social responsibility to society in terms of providing relevant information to ensure safe health.

According to the Commissioner, the meeting was convened to “set up this inter-ministerial committee to begin to strengthen the enlightenment that the Ministry of Health is already doing. But they cannot do it alone. That’s why the General Managers of the State Media houses are all here”.

He charged the leadership of the media houses to ensure that they set up strategic platforms in their various media to reach out to various stakeholder groups in the State.

“This is a corporate social responsibility, and everyone seated around this table must understand that we owe our State the duty to take this very seriously”, he said.

Nsirim, who noted the commitment of the State Governor, Nyesom Wike, in ensuring safe health for the citizens of the State in terms of provision of required infrastructure and equipment in the health sector, recalled the same determined effort that made the State stand out during the fight against Ebola last year.

“Last time when we had Ebola crisis in the country, the response that was set up by Rivers State was recommended by several people. As a State, we need to show that leadership, we need to show our people in the State that we understand what is going on, and then give them the right information”, he said.

Consequently, he charged the leadership of the State Media houses to “create strategic time and space to give information on the Coronavirus”, noting that “We can’t afford, as a State, to record any (Coronavirus) incident. That is why all hands must be on deck, and the enlightenment is key”.

Speaking on behalf of the State Ministry of Health, the Director, Public Health and Disease Control, Dr. Golden Owhonda, emphasised on the preparedness of the Ministry to both check the importation of the virus to the State, and its containment, should there be need for it.

Dr. Owhonda, who represented the Acting Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr. Chinwe Tonye Atata, said having successfully handled similarly situation in the days of Ebola, the State is in a good stead to combat the Coronavirus, even as the Ministry needs to up its game because the coronavirus in new.

“In terms of capacity for case management, we’re building our surge efforts. We’re training more adhoc staff for readiness even though we have one of the best hands you can find in the country. Because we’ve been exposed to Ebola, we’ve had cases of Lassa (Fever), so, the capacity for pathogenic disease containment is very strong right here in the State.

“We intend to boost this more because this is a new disease, it’s a learning point for a great deal of technical people. So, everyday we’re building our capacity to be able to contain any form of importation if this disease that we find”, he said.

He further assured that Governor Wike has provided whatever is required to ensure that the State maintains safe health.

“His Excellency (Nyesom Wike) the Governor of Rivers State, has made all the logistics available to ensure that we can put the technicality on ground to interrupt any transmission. Rivers State occupies a pride of place in terms of trade and traffic. So, we’re not leaving any stone unturned from the technical perspective”, he stated.

While acknowledging the important role expected of the media in the multi-sectoral fight against the coronavirus, Dr. Owhonda also called on the media to enlighten the public on universal safety precautionary measures to be observed in order to avoid contacting the disease.

Such measures, he said, include hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette, which “simply means washing your hands appropriately, especially when you feel it’s soiled, and cough etiquette”.

On his part, the General Manager (GM) of the Rivers State Newspaper Corporation, Mr. Vincent Ake, who spoke on behalf of the General Managers, assured of living up to their expected roles in the fight against the coronavirus.

He, however, stated the need for the right content to be available when it is needed.

Present at the meeting were: the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information and Communications, Barr. (Mrs.) Ibiwari Clapton-Ogolo; the GM of Rivers State Television, Dafini Gogo-Abbey; GM of Garden City FM, Mr Dagogo Ezekiel-Hart; and GM of Radio Rivers, Mr. Sampson Fibresima.

Also in attendance were Directors in the Ministry of Information and Communications.