By Chuks Oyema-Aziken
The federal government has mapped out plans to decontaminate and disinfect 125 aircrafts and 13 airports to tackle the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Minister of Environment, Dr. Mohammed Mahmoud Abubakar disclosed this on Wednesday in his speech at the Presidential Task Force on Covid-19 Press briefing in Abuja.
He said so far two aircrafts have been decontaminated and disinfected.
The Minister said the entire process is being delayed due to the specialized nature of the aviation sector.
Also speaking, Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, said the PTF is not averse to the use of herbs to treat the deadly virus.
Ehanire who was responding to a question on the use of herbal remedies for the treatment/prevention of the Coronavirus, said that so far, herbs don’t cause ‘harm’, Nigerians can use it.
According to him, traditional medicine experts are encouraged to work with the Ministry of Health and Nigerian Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development, (NIPRID) on developing a possible cure for the virus.
“There are also traditional remedies that say that they boost your immune system. I receive almost every day a letter from traditional practitioners who are offering traditional medicines that they have put together and praising the quality and the efficacy of this medicine.
“Well, so long as they do not harm, we do not object but I urge the Department of Traditional/Complementary Medicine and the Ministry of Health to look into these ones and work with the Nigerian Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRID).
“They are responsible for finding and analysing medicines or looking into products of plant origin to see what is medicinal in there. NIPRID will be able to find out what works and if it works.” he said.
