Abdoulaye Diouf Sarr, Senegal’s Minister of Health and Social Action, following a meeting with the Epidemic Management Committee held on Thursday in Dakar, said that the country is ready to tackle the coronavirus.
By Ibrahima Dione
“At the national level, we must redouble our efforts and be more vigilant. What I heard earlier allows me to say that in the areas of surveillance, preparation of the response, detection and management (of possible cases of coronavirus) in Senegal, the whole system is ready,” Diouf Sarr said.
The coronavirus epidemic has already killed 2,810 people out of the 82,549 confirmed cases worldwide.
No continent on the planet has been spared by the contagious disease.
For the moment, only two African countries (Egypt and Algeria) have recorded a case each of the coronavirus.
Despite all this, Senegal remains on its guard.
“Surveillance is carried out at points of entry such as the airport and the port but also at the borders,” the Health minister said.
To prepare for any eventuality, Mr. Sarr informed citizens that two important meetings will soon be held.
“I will chair the first one with my colleague from Tourism and Air Transport ministry to inform hoteliers. I would also like to meet with media chiefs and health journalists” he said.
At a time when rumours from the press and especially social media have been rife, the latest of which is the supposed effectiveness of chloroquine (an anti-malarial drug used for over 70 years) on the coronavirus, Sarr maintained that in such situations, the enemy to kill “is the harmful rumour.”
With upcoming religious events, Sarr asked pilgrims to adopt “good behavior.”
Aware of the difficulties experienced by China in containing the virus, some African countries have decided to coordinate their actions.
According to the Minister of Health and Social Action, “Africa must consult each other and come up with a coherent strategy.”
To this end, “we held a first meeting in Bamako (Mali) within the framework of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). We had a second meeting in Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) where the African Union (AU) headquarters is located to share experiences and to have, on some aspects, a synergy of actions.”
Senegal, unlike Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt and Mauritania, did not consider it necessary to repatriate its nationals.
On this point, Mr. Sarr tried to reassure public opinion.
According to him, Senegalese students in Wuhan follow their courses “online” and the psychological monitoring unit set up is closely keeping tabs on their situation.
The coronavirus (covid-19) that is rocking China has taken a global dimension.
Scientists from all over the world are working hard to find an effective treatment.
But time may be running out as the death toll from the outbreak continues to rise.
ID/te/lb/as/APA