The Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) onSunday said that the COVID-19 Health Protection Regulation 2021 law would help to curb the spread of the pandemic across the country.
Prof. Innocent Ujah, NMA President, said this while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.
NAN reports that President Muhammadu Buhari had on Jan. 28, signed COVID-19 Health Protection Regulations 2021, in exercise of the powers conferred on the President by Section 4 of the Quarantine Act, 2010.
Ujah said that the move by the President to ensure an enabling legal framework is in place was a welcome development as it would help in contributing to national response to the curtailment of COVID-19.
“This is coming against the backdrop of President Muhammadu Buhari’s recent signing of the law on health protection regulation
“Now that the President has put a law in place, we should comply by adhering strictly to the law,” he said.
Ujah, who expressed worry over the level of compliance among the citizenry on COVID-19 protocols, called on the law enforcement agents to arrest any erring Nigerian.
“Unfortunately, the most disturbing aspect I see is enforcement; it is going to be a problem, because Nigerians don’t like obeying laws.
“But if we can ensure that the law is fully obeyed, the spread of the pandemic will reduce,’’ he said.
He, however, urged the Federal Government to embrace the use of intentional form of communication through persuasion, advocacy and sensitisation largely from the National Orientation Agency.
He added that religious leaders, opinion leaders and other stakeholders should be engaged for effective sensitisation in order to pass the message across to the people.
Ujah said that the law would also help to reduce the number of people violating the COVID-19 protocols in the country.