15 medical doctors from China have arrived the country to assist the government tackle the coronavirus pandemic.
The news of their arrival in Nigeria was announced on Wednesday during the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 briefing.
Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire, did not attend the briefing because he went to receive them at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
Minister of State for Health, Olorunnimbe Mamora, said the experts are in Nigeria alongside the equipment needed to curb the virus.
The arrival of the Chinese doctors follows disapproval from several groups such as the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC).
Speaking to newsmen after their arrival, Ehanire thanked the Chinese government for sending experts and equipment to assist Nigeria in tackling the coronavirus pandemic.
While congratulating China for being able to successfully manage the pandemic, the minister said that Nigeria had much to learn from the experiences of the Asian country.
Ehanire, however, said that the experts would be quarantined for 14 days before they begin working fully in Nigeria.
“They will be in quarantine for 14 days. They knew that before they came and they have undergone tests before they left their country.
“Nevertheless they would be in quarantine for 14 days.
“The NCDC has gone to see where they will be in quarantine and they will be paying visits there throughout the 14 days.
“We are very happy to see the equipment that have come today.
“This is the second consignment from China after the Jack Ma consignment.
“We believe it will help us a lot in addressing the gaps we would have had in commodities and also very important equipment.
“We have 50 ventilators more after this visit. Beyond the ventilators, we also have the oxygenator which is similar to a heart-lung machine, a very sophisticated machine to treat those cases where even a ventilator has failed.
“This is a very important addition to our regiment of treatment options,” he said.
