Date: 2021-08-05

Nigerian pharmacists have raised the alarm on the rising wave of COVID-19 in the country.

President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSC), Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa, described as alarming the daily increase of deaths from the Delta variant of COVID-19.

Ohuabunwa spoke in Ilorin, Kwara State during the 22nd Annual Scientific Conference of the Association of Hospital and Administrative Pharmacists of Nigeria (AHAPN).

He urged Nigerians to curb the spread of the pandemic by adhering to the prevention measures by wearing face masks, hand washing and observing social distancing.

The theme of the conference was, "Advancing Technological Revolution in Pharmaceutical Service Delivery."

Ohuabunwa said, "We have seen the increase in the number of infections; we have seen the increase in the number of deaths. So it cannot be a lie. People are so disbelieving and I don't know why, but COVID-19 is real. Nigerians should not allow what is happening in Senegal to happen to us. Senegal is closer to us here. It is not Europe neither is it Brazil.

"If it can get to Senegal and devastate the place, it can get here. About 98 percent of their hospitals are occupied, and Nigeria is not very far. Lagos State governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu just said it yesterday that six people died in 24 hours, which hasn't happened for a long time. So Nigerians had to be careful by observing the protocols."

The national chairman of AHAPN, Dr Kingsley Amibor, urged Nigerians to continue to observe the prevention protocols on COVID-19 as rolled out by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).