Nigeria recorded her first coronavirus case on February 27, 2020 when an unnamed Italian brought the scourge to Lagos in the South West of the country.
But it was not until April 25, two clear months after, that the dreaded and dreadful sickness made its uninvited voyage to Imo State in the South-East region of the country.
And like the federal government which hid the identity of the index case, hiding under medical ethics, the Imo State government led by Senator Hope Uzodimma also kept mute over the identity of the first COVID-19 patient in the state.
It took a member of the opposition and former Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Uche Onyeagucha, to give the identity of Imo’s index case to be a security operative working at Government House, Owerri. Some Imolites, however took his disclosure with a pinch of salt since the information didn’t emanate from official sources. However, the government’s non-rebuttal till date made many to believe Onyeagucha.
The mandatory test also carried out by government on its security operatives serving at Government House, Owerri shortly after the lid was blown open by Onyeagucha further helped to authenticate the veracity of his disclosure.
The driver of the incumbent Secretary to the State Government (SSG) was later rumoured to have also contracted the virus. He was among the first three persons reported to have contracted the virus in the state.
The state has continued to keep the identities of some 500 others who have also been infected by the disease in the state under wraps. Imolites were also not granted the privilege of knowing the 13 members of the state legislature, who contracted the disease which led to the State COVID-19 Task Force chaired by Prof. Maurice Iwu to order the closure of the assembly complex for two weeks for fumigation.
Medical ethics is said to stipulate keeping secret the identity of a patient except he or his relation approves of such disclosure in the event of his death. This was also obtained in the case of Patrick Sawyer, the Liberian, who brought Ebola to Nigeria.
Some Imolites believe that the openness that trailed the outbreak of Ebola in the country convinced Nigerians of the existence of the disease. Same, they say, cannot be said of Coronavirus which many including educated citizens still assert does not exist.
The secrecy shrouding the identities of COVID-19 patients in the state coupled with the account of one of the indigenes of the state, Mr. Christian Isiuba said to have recovered from the ailment after ‘treatment’ at Federal Medical Centre, Owerri contributed greatly to the disbelief in the existence of the virus thereby making the campaign to curtail its spread difficult.
Even the testing of about 100 wayfarers in the state and allowing some 25 of them who tested positive for COVID-19 to continue their journey helped to compound the disbelief of the citizens in the existence of the virus. For those who believe in the existence of the virus, the action went a long way to give fillip to their assertion that the government was either un-serious in combating the scourge or had joined in the merchandising aspect of COVID-19.
Forty-three-year-old Isiuba from Umujiriji Ehume Community in Obowo LGA of the state had returned home from Kano in the thick of the lockdown imposed by the authorities because of the pandemic. Rumour spread that he returned with his mother, who those behind the rumour claimed was battling with the virus. Some members of the State COVID-19 Taskforce stormed his residence and ransacked his home in search of his mother.
Dissatisfied that his mother was nowhere within reach, the personnel of the taskforce forced Isiuba to release the telephone number of his mother. Isiuba did as he was commanded and the personnel dialed the number.
Of course, the woman was frolicking in Kano since she was not infected by the dreaded virus. Isiuba said the personnel of the task force took his own sample and left, promising to return in 48 hours with his result. They returned but not exactly after 48 hours to rather seize Isiuba on the ground that he had tested positive for COVID-19.
Isiuba said they did not show him the test result. They ferried him in their bus to the FMC Isolation Centre where they gave him Vitamin C which he said he refused to ingest.
Hear Isiuba; “I told them I cannot take their drug when I’m not sick. I didn’t take any drug, all their drugs were kept there. I did not take even one. I am aware that the isolation is for 14 days. 16th May was my eight days of staying in isolation when the doctor came and said that all my results were negative and that I should carry my bags and go”. That was how the Kano returnee left the isolation centre, ‘cured’.
Clearly, Imo State toeing the footsteps of the federal government under President Muhammadu Buhari had difficulty prosecuting her campaign against the scourge at the height of the pandemic. Agreed, COVID-19 is novel and therefore, some tardiness is expected in its management more so in a state or country with a weak health system.
But one thing our investigation unraveled is that it is actually the mercy shown to the state by God, who made the environment highly temperate in which the virus could hardly survive that all should be thankful to, for the minimal spread and low death rate recorded as a result of COVID-19. That imolites are not dropping dead as some doomsayers predicted isn’t due to any seriousness shown by the government towards combating it or by the citizens in observing COVID-19 protocols.
A doctor who works at FMC, Owerri insisted that it was only God that saved Imolites though he said his assertion does not have any place in medical practice. He also pointed to the high immune system of some Imolites, the exposure of Imolites to hardship which has toughened them and the early detection and/or management of the ailment as factors that contributed to the low spread of the virus.
This, he said, could be what happened in the case of Isiuba. According to him, Isiuba’s high immune system could have overwhelmed the virus.
The doctor who pleaded anonymity because he is a civil servant said many of the infected persons presented themselves or were discovered on time, and subjected to a strict management regime leading to the remission of the virus.
A former Chairman, Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), in the state, Dr. Hyacinth Emele as well as the speaker, Imo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Chiji Collins also agreed that God and the temperate environment contributed to the minimal infection of the people by the virus in the state.
Dr. Emele added that health personnel are still studying whether the COVID-19 strand that came to Nigeria is not as virulent as the one decimating populations in China, America and Europe.
Dr. Emele attributed the milder strand in Nigeria and Imo State to the genetic make-up of the people and the mutation which the virus might have undergone as it travelled from Europe through the unnamed Italian to Lagos. Perhaps this also explains why Imo has recorded 559 cases, 217 recovery and just 12 deaths from the virus till date.
Imo State at the outbreak of the pandemic had the added disadvantage of having a fledgling administration which came into power on January 15 only to be confronted with a global pandemic even the more organized societies couldn’t manage. But the state’s claims to have set up six well-equipped centres for isolation and quarantining of COVID-19 patients could not be authenticated.
It had given the centres to be at Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Owerri; WOODI Wellness Centre, Owerri; Specialist Hospital, Umuguma; Okigwe General Hospital, Okigwe; and General Hospital, Aboh Mbaise. There is also the 100-bed Isolation facility donated by Access Bank at Imo State University Teaching Hospital (IMSUTH), Umuna Orlu which Gov. Uzodimma commissioned with fanfare recently.
This reporter could only authenticate the centres at FMC, WOODI Wellness Centre and the 100-bed facility at IMSUTH. However, it is only the FMC, Owerri and WOODI centres that ever played host to patients. At present, it is only the WOODI Centre that has patients in it. This reporter found it hard getting any personnel at WOODI Centre to speak on September 4 when he visited. All insisted the reporter must get clearance from the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Mrs. Damaris Osunkwo before they could speak to the press. When efforts made by the reporter to interview Dr. Osunkwo did not pull through, getting her to give permission to speak with the personnel at WOODI Centre was a herculean task. The Director of Public Health in the state, Dr. Austin Okeji, who is involved in the activities to combat the scourge said he cannot speak except on the express permission of the commissioner.
Gov. Uzodimma disclosed in the thick of the pandemic that the state would build a specialist hospital for the treatment of COVID-19 and other infectious diseases. Imolites pray this happens.
This reporter was told that the FMC Isolation Centre is the only one that has equipment like oxygen and ventilators. Dr. Emele revealed that the WOODI Centre also has facilities and equipment necessary to manage patients who exhibit symptoms of the disease.
On fatalities, the state lost two persons to COVID-19 in its heydays in the state. The victims were given as a lady who gave birth through caesarean section before a test was conducted to find out that she had the virus and a man whose positive status was confirmed after his passage.
Prof. Iwu while speaking at Christ Embassy, Owerri in June revealed that a former Commissioner for Health and a traditional ruler in the state also died of the disease.
The doctor, who didn’t want his name in print disclosed that there was a time in the state the infection rate became bad. According to him, seven pediatricians at FMC, Owerri at a time fell victims to the dreaded virus. But he was quick to add that God clearly showed mercy on Imolites. If not for God and the early management of the patients, he said, the death toll would have been high.
He insisted that the containment of the disease could not have been owing to acquisition or availability of equipment or facilities or observance of safety guidelines such as hand washing, use of hand sanitizers, observance of social/physical distancing and/or coughing into one’s elbow or handkerchief/tissue paper and disposing off same thereafter.
On March 28, Gov. Uzodimma announced a total lockdown in the state as part of measures to curtail the spread of the virus. The lockdown was to last between 6:00am and 6:00pm. He ordered the closure of markets and schools. He also prohibited marriage and funeral ceremonies. In addition, the governor banned all forms of worship in churches and mosques including crusades and open evangelism.
The governor equally announced partial closure of land borders of the state. According to him, people coming into the state during the period were to be screened by health personnel at checkpoints mounted and manned by a combined team of soldiers, policemen and other security men. The security men were also detailed to enforce the stay-at-home directive. Social and physical distancing was also decreed as being in a large crowd of more than 20 people was forbidden. People were also directed to wear face masks in public. In fact, at a point, the non-wearing of face masks became an offence. To make the lockdown more severe, a dusk-to-dawn curfew was also imposed on April 17, 2020.
The governor also inaugurated the state Taskforce on COVID-19 headed by former chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and professor of Pharmacognosy, Prof. Maurice Iwu. He equally promised to establish a Specialist Hospital for the treatment and management of infectious diseases in the state.
Imolites went through hell during the lockdown. The security men detailed to enforce the lockdown converted the situation to a money-spinning enterprise. They cordoned off roads and streets and established ‘toll gates’. Citizens were frisked and heavily extorted of their hard-earned money and those who couldn’t bribe their way were mercilessly flogged or compelled to frog-jump.
In the early days of the lockdown in the state, news filtered in that one Chief Christogunus Aguwa Osuagwu, the Managing Director of Fancy Hotel, Umuguma from Mbaise area of the state had been diagnosed of the disease and had died of the ailment in Abuja. Without ascertaining the true position of things, his relations as well as guests at his Fancy Hotel, where he lodged briefly before jetting to Abuja were isolated by the authorities without any provision of food, water and electricity. Government only later gave them half bag of rice and little condiments for the 14 days they were isolated.
It took the benevolence of the Imo State Hoteliers Association, whose Chairman, Mr. Chima Chukwunyere donated food, water and diesel for the powering of the generator at the hotel for the isolated guests/lodgers to last the distance.
“I took yam, beans, etc to them. I left in tears as most of them rushed to the gate to appreciate the gesture. The good news is that none of them has developed the symptoms of coronavirus”, Mr. Chukwunyere said.
At the expiration of the 14 days of their isolation, the government released them with a parting gift of N5,000 each as transport fare to ferry themselves to their destinations.
The COVID-19-induced lockdown adversely affected all aspects of livelihood and sectors in the state. The means of livelihood of the citizens was disorganized and disrupted. Traders could no longer trade as markets were shut. Worship centres were closed denying worshippers the benefits of corporate anointing and impartation.
Though hospitals remained open, gaining access to them was problematic as patients went through hell owing to restriction of movement except on presentation of pass permits. Even the hospitals, especially private ones, were deserted as health personnel preferred to stay at home than risk contracting the novel disease due to lack of protective gear.
The worst-hit were the kimboms (daily-paid workers who work at construction sites and vegetable dealers). Of course, all constructions came to a halt and markets were put under lock and key. Civil servants were ordered to stay at home without months of arrears of salaries. As the hardship and starvation bit all, complaints came in torrents. Palliatives were demanded. Governments and some well-to-do individuals came to the aid of the less-privileged.
The state government procured and distributed some foodstuffs comprising rice, beans and noodles as well as condiments to the citizens through their local government councils. Donations also came from companies, organizations and individuals. Some elected representatives and political appointees equally distributed palliative items. Even some communities came to the rescue of their indigent folks. A community like Ihiagwa in Owerri West LGA of the state operated a food bank during the period. Survival became a challenge.
All businesses and professions were badly-hit. But the worst-hit is the teaching profession. Schools were shut and have remained closed till date. Some 2000 teachers in Imo State, according to the state Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT),Philip Nwanshi are said to be owed about seven months arrears of salaries.
Nwanshi said teachers would resist reopening of schools if the government fails to meet its obligation to them. Teachers in private schools were hit the hardest. While their colleagues in public schools still look up to be paid, proprietors of private schools are not making any plans of paying their teachers for the months lost to the virus because they do not have money to pay. Government has no plans to give private schools a bailout. Of course, the government cannot do so since it has not been able to grapple with its own challenge.
As it stands now, schools in Imo State cannot reopen. Government is also finding it difficult to procure materials necessary for its schools to observe COVID-19 safety guidelines owing to the huge student population before reopening the schools. Some proprietors of private schools, who could afford providing these materials are lamenting that their schools cannot reopen since the government has not ordered a reopening of schools owing its own inability to meet with the requirements.
COVID-19 infection is said to have moved to the community level. It is no longer only those who travelled out of the country to COVID-19 endemic regions and territories that are suspected to be infected. Since after the index case in Lagos and other cases including ease of lockdown and lifting of curfews thereby reigniting movement of persons across the country, every person is seen as a potential carrier unless proven COVID-19-free via test.
This has led to community testing which translates to mass testing for COVID-19. Imo State flagged off its community testing on September 7, 2020 at the Specialist Hospital, Umuguma in Owerri West LGA.
The state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Damaris Osunkwo, who performed the flag-off, said it would help the state to ascertain the prevalence rate of the disease in the state.
She also disclosed that the state is targeting to test 49,000 of its citizens about one percent of its 4.9million population during the exercise. She extolled the state’s development partners for collaborating with the state to make the flag-off a huge success.
Osunkwo said the test and treatment in the event of positive outcome including feeding of the patients are free. He added that the citizens would also be tested alongside for malaria, tuberculosis, hepatitis and diabetes.
The partners include the KNCV Tuberculosis Foundation of Nigeria, Red Cross, WHO and NCDC whose officials promised to ensure the collaboration bears the desired fruits.
While receiving an award for his work to curtail the spread of the COVID-19 in the state on Saturday, September 5 in Owerri, Prof. Iwu reiterated that COVID-19 is not only real but also was yet to recede in the state. He noted that guests at the ceremony organized by Rotary Club were not COVID-19 compliant. There was no social/physical distancing or wearing of face masks at the ceremony. This event was held in Owerri where residents are supposedly aware of the existence of the virus. In the rural areas where awareness is still low, even those who are aware don’t believe the virus is still in our shores if it ever came in the first place. Anyone emphasizing physical distancing at public gatherings or observance of other protocols is advised to go talk to the marines.
Today, funerals, weddings and other ceremonies not only have large crowds, the attendees also pay little or no heed to safety or preventive measures. Some claim they have contracted and recovered severally from COVID-19. For instance, a health personnel at the Specialist Hospital Umuguma told this reporter that she no longer pays much attention to issues concerning COVID-19 because she knows she contracted and recovered severally from the disease.
She is also miffed by what she sees as the scam trailing the management of the pandemic. According to her, some officials of government are hiding under the pandemic to further feed fat.
“Look at the billions of naira the federal government is quoting it spent in combating the disease. In what did it spend the money?” She asked, adding: “By the time the Imo State government will quote its own, you will marvel at the level of squandermania in this country”.
This boils down to the mistrust the citizens have about their governments. Unfortunately, governments have not used the COVID-19 pandemic to restore the trust.