# 393
Accepting government pronouncement from Nigerian officials at face value is always a risky venture. Historically, there has often been a lot of daylight between what they say, and what they do. So, an announcement that `large quantities of tamiflu' are being moved into Lagos and other areas of Nigeria could be significant, or it could simply be a public relations ploy.
In any event, this report from THIS DAY.
FG Dispatches Drugs for Bird Flu Treatment in Human
• Lagos assures citizens
By Paul Ohia in Lagos and Chuka Odittah in Abuja, 02.02.2007Dr. Abdulsalami Nasidi, Director of Research and Planning in the Federal Ministry of Health, has said government has dispatched large quantities of a drug known as Tamiflu to Lagos and other states of the federation for prompt treatment of bird flu infection of humans.
This came just as Lagos residents have been reassured of optimum health care and protection from the Avian influenza infection, which recently claimed its first human victim in the state.
Speaking in his office yesterday while confirming the death of the first victim of disease in Lagos, Nasidi said government has taken steps to increase monitoring of the disease nationwide.
Although he did not elaborate on measures so far taken to track rate or mode of spread of the disease, the Professor of Virology noted that efforts have been doubled to increase public awareness on the disease.
He explained that government has established that Tamiflu is a highly potent drug in treatment and management of bird flu in humans.
Nasidi who expressed high hopes about the effectiveness of Tamiflu in treatment of the Avian Influenza in human, however, cautioned Nigerians to be vigilant and to endeavour to promptly report any case of difficulty in breathing; discharge from the nose, mouth or eyes; diarrhea; loss of appetite and severe depression to the nearest hospital.
There is no indication that Tamiflu is being distributed in this interview, only that it is being `dispatched'.
