Some days ago I shared on my social media platforms that Cross River State has no case of Covid-19 because the Governor moved swiftly. This post drew the attention of citizens who live in the State; most of them did not agree with me. In fact one of the responses I got was “Which Cross River? The government is a scam. No basic amenities. Healthcare workforce is one of the lowest if not the worst. Don’t trust the news media in their reportage.”
I dug deeper, trying to understand why the person made such a comment and this was what followed; “Oghenefego Ofili my dear I am there that’s why am talking. There is nothing being done. Free mask??? Good stuff??? You can come ask people here how many got these. People are still coming into the state. Reports of deaths killed fast. Only 4 beds in the make shift isolation centre in the state. Coming on air and talk is no the right way. The question is how many people have been tested in Cross River? Especially the boarder town/villages with Cameroon? Soon people will understand. Silence does not mean lack of pain.”
After these interactions I decided to look out for more hints from people in the State and this post by Emilia Eyo-Effa gave some more information. Here’s her take:
“1. The whole no face mask job movement theme is a joke. Most people even in the Calabar metropolis are not wearing masks. They go about their business without protection. You who wears the mask seem alien to them. The enforcement is at some major points again in the Calabar Metropolis. The whole suburbs is left on it’s own as usual.
2. The markets are as full as it was before we ever heard of COVID 19. Less than 20 percent of the market women understand why they need a mask and even less wear it. Infact am yet to see the market woman who wore a mask. The market is so full you who is conscious is immediately scared to enter and it is happening on a daily basis. Now this brings a good arguement, if the markets are open then churches should be open as well. The restriction does not make sense if it is restricted to churches alone.
3. There are no protective wear in public hospital. Anyone who visits the hospital no matter how sick you are is simply at risk of picking up the virus at the hospital. There is no Standard Practice enforced, no protective gears for health workers. They simply ask from afar what the illness is and if it happens to be a respiratory ailment they run for their lives and ask you live immediately. They do not care to report such incidences nor track such incidences.
4. Offices are open and people are operating in this Calabar same as it was before COVID 19. I am assuming people think we are safe just because we work together and saw each other yesterday means we are safe.
5. The whole NCDC visit and Cross River reaction with an isolation and quarantine is hilarious. So let me get this straight, we will quarantine them and send their samples to where? Same NCDC? If they want to fake the result what would we do? How will we verify it? Do we have a testing site or testing kit? So we are threatening the same people who are possibly going to assist us if it happens.
We are doing well. Very well indeed.”
I really hope the government of Cross River State is transparent with their Covid-19 response. Lives are at stake and we can’t play any form of politics or propaganda at this time.
