Trump Calls Buhari, he Promised to Provide Some Ventilators to support Nigeria for COVID-19

United States President, Mr. Donald Trump, has promised to send some ventilators to support Nigeria in the fight to curb the spread of Coronavirus pandemic in the country, which has afflicted 1,532 persons and killed 44 while 255 have been discharged.

Trump, in a telephone conversation with President Muhammadu Buhari, gave assurances that the United States would stand by Nigeria in her fight to stamp out Coronavirus.

According to presidential media adviser, Mr. Femi Adesina, the two leaders commiserated with each other on fatalities caused by the Coronavirus pandemic in their respective countries.

They also shared ideas on how to successfully combat the global pandemic.

He said Buhari expressed condolences to the government and people of the United States over the fatalities recorded in the pandemic and expressed concern over the high rate of deaths caused by the disease across the world.

The statement added: “The associated negative impacts of the pandemic on the world’s economy also came up for discussion.

“The Nigerian president lauded his American counterpart for the various initiatives adopted by his government to contain the further spread of the virus across the United States.

“He indicated Nigeria’s readiness to cooperate with the United States to fight this common unseen enemy.

“President Buhari informed that Nigeria had taken a number of proactive measures to contain the spread of the Coronavirus across the country.

“The president welcomed the valuable friendship and expressed appreciation to President Trump for reaching out at this time.”

However, Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, who earlier broke the news of the conversation between Buhari and Trump during the media briefing of the Presidential Task Force on Coronavirus in Abuja, said the US president promised to send some ventilators to Nigeria to help in managing Coronavirus  cases.

“President Buhari used the opportunity to brief the American president on the steps that Nigeria is taking to contain the spread of the disease.

“For his part, President Trump assured president Mohammed Buhari that the United States stands in solidarity with Nigeria in this difficult time and promised to send ventilators to support the country in its fight against the Coronavirus pandemic,” Mohammed  added.

Also speaking, the Chairman of PTF, Mr. Boss Mustapha, warned that the next phase after the easing of the lockdown would be demanding as it would require personal responsibility from every citizen.

Mustapha said drawing from the experience of previous pandemics that ravaged the world, it would not be a party time for Nigerians.

“This is the time for each and every one of us to take personal responsibility and the only way we can take personal responsibility is to take heed to the advisory, the medical advisory of keeping a safe distance, of personal hygiene, of wearing masks, of avoiding unnecessary travel and visitations because what will happen to every one of us going forward will depend on what we do.

“Government is doing the best it can to provide safety, resources, and facilities for us to combat Coronavirus but the reaction of the citizens on individual and collective basis will determine whether we will succeed or not,” Mustapha stated.