Abayomi: COVID not over — we need to balance response with sustaining economy

Akin Abayomi, Lagos commissioner for health, says although the crisis associated with the COVID pandemic is over, the virus is still something to be concerned about.

The commissioner said this on Thursday at the Nigerian-British Chamber of Commerce (NBCC) trade conference and exhibition tagged ‘Fast Tracking Productivity, Leveraging Technology’.

He said since the virus still exists, the government and citizens need to understand how to manage the virus so as to control its effect on the economy.

 “COVID is not over, but the crisis is over,” Abayomi said.

“We should be in a position to understand the dynamics of this virus, how to manage it, and as a government, our role is to balance the public health response with maintaining the economy of the state and the nation.”

On his part, Adeyemi Johnson, managing director, First Cardiology Consultants Hospital, said the virus has negatively affected the country’s economy, adding that technology can be leveraged to help healthcare service delivery.

“COVID-19 has destroyed our economy, especially the supply chain. Technology is the future. We are not moving anywhere without technology. The healthcare in Nigeria needs funding to be able to leverage on technology strongly,” Johnson said.

On her part, Bisi Adeyemi, NBCC president and chairman, said the conference was organised to present the need for technology to solve the problems caused by the pandemic and promote productivity.

“The theme of the conference underscores the imperative of technology in driving productivity and is reflective of the current realities, propelled by the COVID-19 pandemic.”