The federal government has described the criticisms trailing the invitation of Chinese doctors to join the fight against COVID-19 as unwarranted because they will only serve as public health specialists and medical engineers; a gesture of Corporate Social Responsibility from Chinese company.

The government explained that the doctors are coming on the bill of China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, made the clarification during the daily briefing of the Presidential Task Force on COVID -19 in Abuja, yesterday.
” I wish to clarify that all countries of the world seek for and receive help in the fight against COVID-19. The support coming from China is a Corporate Social Responsibility initiative by CCECC, a company with total value of infrastructure contracts worth $10 billion in Nigeria.
Mustapha said that the Chinese health officials would support Nigeria’s capacity to manage the Coronavirus pandemic.

“One major support that has attracted public commentaries is the offer by CCECC, a Chinese company to import about 256 equipment and items in different quantities, notable amongst which are, 1,300,000 medical masks, over 150,000 pieces of assorted personal protective equipment as well as 50 medical ventilators,” he said.

Mustapha who is also the chairman of the Presidential Task Forco on COVID-19, therefore, appealed to Nigerian medical professionals to see the positive aspects of this gesture as an extension of the development in the field of medicine.

Mustapha said that the Chinese health officials would support Nigeria’s capacity to manage the pandemic on advisory basis.

“The professionals that have been invited from China are public health specialists and medical engineers that will support Nigeria’s capacity in managing the pandemic on advisory basis when necessary, while drawing from the experience of the Chinese.”
“In no way shall there be case management and interface with patients. They will train our manpower, advise on procedures and methods, install and test the equipment donated before handling them over,” he added.

“The PTF recognises and respects the competence and capability of Nigerian doctors and other medical personnel. This is a state of war against the coronavirus and time should not be devoted to unhelpful controversies,” he said