The Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, on Sunday said the Federal Government has no powers to regulate the sale face masks and sanitisers in the country.
He however noted that government was worried about the increase in prices of the commodities in wake of Coronavirus confirmation in Nigeria.
Ehanire spoke on Sunday while appearing on Channels Television’s programme, Sunday Politics
Speaking about ongoing efforts to curtail the spread of the deadly Coronavirus in Nigeria, and to ensure it didn’t go beyond the single confirmed case, the Minister said the nation’s efforts were at the containment stage.
“The government is concerned about prices going up. But you see, we operate a market economy. Those who are traders and suppliers are doing a brisk business by trying to increase importation and those who manufacture are also doing a brisk business scaling up the manufacturing of all these products.
“So it is not surprising that the prices go up at the moment. The government makes sure that those agencies and organisations that need to have these materials have them,” the Minister said.
He however, added that the prices of the items “will drop when traders import more of these products.”
Ehanire also disclosed that the 44 year old Italian had no idea he had the Coronavirus before leaving Italy for Nigeria.
READ ALSO: There Is no Suspected Case Of Coronavirus In Nigeria – Health Minister
He disclosed however that the patient was recovering as his viral load was coming down rapidly.
“He was not in the knowledge of what he had that he was carrying any particular kind of illness and we are happy that he is responding.
“It does seem as if his own illness is running rather mildly the way it looks and his viral load has begun to drop which means he is on his way to recovery,” the Minister said.
The Minister said a meeting with relevant stakeholders would hold on Monday to ascertain the progress made in containing the spread of the virus.
“We are in the phase of trying to carry out containment so that if possible, it does not go beyond the one index case that has entered the country.
The Health Minister warned Nigerians against travelling to countries that have reported cases of the virus.
He also reiterated the imperative of individuals maintaining strict and proper hygiene.
Ehanire further explained that due to the newness of the virus, there was no confirmed pattern for the survival of the virus whether in warm or cold weather.
