1. The first case of someone suffering from Covid-19 can be traced to 17 November, 2019 according reports on unpublished Chinese government data.

2. The report, in the South China morning Post , said Chinese authorities had identified list of 266 people that contracted the virus last year and who came under medical surveillance, and the earliest case was 17 November –weeks before authorities announced the emergence of the new novel virus.

3. Since then, the virus continue to spread slowly around Europe killing thousands of people and gradually arrived in Africa and as we speak there are over 59 deaths in West Africa and in Nigeria there are 6 deaths already and counting.

4. The global spread of the virus has overwhelmed health systems, disrupted the global economy, and lead to widespread societal disruption, the fatality rate is estimated to be 10 times higher than influenza.

5. This pandemic is much more than a health crisis. It requires a whole-of government and whole-of-society response, especially religious leaders, community influencers and Civil Society Organizations.

6. COVID-19 has shown us the damage it can mete out to people of the world irrespective of race, color, religion, rich, poor or wealthy nations.

7. We are yet to see the devastation it could wreak in poorer and more vulnerable countries like Nigeria and others.

8. World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a public health emergency of international concern in January to enable countries with weak health system to prepare for the emergency.

9. Nigeria Center for Disease Control and the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 have issued guidelines and statements on how to curtail the spread of disease, let us obey them.

10. Nigerian health workers are working 24/7 to provide treatment for those who are infected and also carrying out tests for those who are suspected to have been infected.

11. The lockdown is for public health, and health should come before economy, it is true the world economy has lost over US$6 trillion dollars, the economy can recover, but we can’t recover 100,000 lives already lost and those that we will be lost.

12. As a people and community our role is to obey government and health workers as they battle the virus to stand still.

13. There many who are peddling all kinds of conspiracy theories around Covid-19, but the fact remains that people are losing lives daily around the world and that should be our anxiety.

14. If you find someone around you who don’t believe in Covid-19, educate the individual on following;

a. Social distancing b. Washing of hands c. Coughing using tissue or elbow and Staying safe at home

15. We need to mobilize and sensitize our communities on the reality of the Virus, WE ARE NOT SAFE UNTIL ALL ARE SAFE.

16. Our singular focus should be working in our different ways to serve all people to save lives and stop the pandemic quickly.

17. We implore government at all levels to commit resources in educating our people at grassroots so they play their role in curtailing the novel virus.

18. With commitment of every one of us, COVID-19 will be history and the lessons learn from this pandemic will help Nigeria build a more resilient health system that works for all and ready to combat any pandemic that may emanate in the nearest future.

19. May God in his infinite mercy, help us combat COVID-19 and other ills in our World.

Thank you.

Danjuma Abdullahi
Executive Director
Ummah Support Initiative (USI)
www.usi.org.ng