Worried by the negative impacts on the society, the Presidential Task Force on Coronavirus (Covid-19) Pandemic has warned the public to desist from stigmatization of Covid-19 patients.
This warning was given on Friday by Dr. Sani Aliyu, PTF National Coordinator, during the daily press briefing in Abuja.
He lamented the growing cases of stigmatization of Covid-19 patients, saying that this state of affairs will not augur well for the fight against the pandemic in Nigeria.
“Stigmatization of Covid-19 patients can only make many who have the disease to go underground and by that singular act the virus will continue to spread. When we stigmatize people who have contracted the virus it is obvious that many other people will be afraid to come clean. The carriers will be afraid to come forward for fear of being discriminated against”, said Dr. Aliyu.
The National Coordinator of PTF therefore, urged Nigerians not to stigmatize anybody who tested positive for the dreaded virus.
Meanwhile, another member of the PTF and Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, has disclosed that some Nigerian journalists will tomorrow commence training on how best to report Covid-19 pandemic in the ancient city of Kano.
According to Dr. Ehanire, the programme is being organised by the Federal Ministry of Health in conjunction with the government of Kano state even as he thanked the state governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, whose government has undertaken to bankroll the media workshop.
