The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) has revealed plans for health workers following the rise of cases of Coronavirus in Nigeria.
The governors made this known in a communiqué issued by the NGF Chairman and Governor of Ekiti State, Dr Kayode Fayemi, in Abuja on Wednesday after the forum’s seventh teleconference meeting on COVID-19.
This is as the Nigeria Center for Disease Control, NCDC, on Wednesday confirmed 196 cases of COVID-19.
This brings the total number of confirmed cases in Nigeria to 1728.
The governors also had an interactive session with Alhaji Aliko Dangote, President of the Dangote Group.
Fayemi said that the governors were collaborating with the NCDC to provide training for health workers on infectious disease control and prevention.
He added that the governors will liaise with workers to also provide insurance cover or allowances for them.
Fayemi said: “The governors assured the associations of their commitment to ensure that health workers, who were in the frontline of the epidemic are not left behind in the areas of welfare and safety.
“Governors are committed to ensuring that Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) are available in all general hospitals and health facilities.
“In the light of rising cases of infections among health workers, state governments will engage with their health workers to provide other incentives, including insurance cover or allowances as may be required.”
Fayemi added that the governors, following updates from the Governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, who heads the committee that liaises with development partners, resolved to establish common macro-economic assumptions that will help States prepare revised budgets for 2020.
He, however, expressed worry over the continued movement of people across states, in spite of the enforcement of inter-state lockdowns across the country.
“The forum will collaborate with the Nigeria Police to provide increased security, as well as the National Union of Road Transport Workers and LGA Chairmen in the States to strengthen security surveillance along State borders,” he added.