Boss Mustapha, Secretary to the Government of the Federation and Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, has said his statement on the state of Nigeria’s health infrastructure was misinterpreted.
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He had been quoted as saying he was unaware of the degree of rot of the country’s health infrastructure before the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, Mustapha said he was quoted out of context.
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“Yesterday I mentioned that I became fully aware of the state of our medical system during the execution of this task force assignment, it has become clear that this has been taken out of context.
“I must clarify that I am aware and has indeed been a champion for the reform and transformation of the health care system and in my modest way, I am working assiduously to see the improvement of the health care system in my small community,” he said.
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The SGF also said the PTF assignment has afforded him the opportunity to dig deeper, interrogate and X-ray the system better.
“I had asked the permanent secretary, general service office, to make available to you the copy of my seven page address to the National Assembly where I spoke about what this current opportunity of the pandemic gives to us.
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“The weaknesses in our health systems became more glaring given the way more established health system in Europe and America collapsed under pressure.
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“The plan is to lay a legacy foundation for the immediate medium and long time development of the health system,” he said.
Mustapha explained that he had not been born abroad and so cold not be ignorant of the decay in health infrastructure. He said he had been born in a hospital which had only a midwife and did not offer birth certificates.
“For those of you that don’t know me well, I came from a rural community. I was born in a village almost 64 years ago that didn’t even have a hospital.
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“It had only a small missionary dispensary with one midwife. No birth certificate were offered so I have declaration of age.
“A lot of you sitting here are privileged to have been born in a better and equipped Facility. From birth I knew the state of our medical health care system. I am not a foreigner.
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“My statement was taken out of context because that was not the reflection of what I meant,” he said.
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