More than 80,000 people have got infected with Coronavirus, while up to 300 have lost their lives.
Beyond the loss of lives, indications have shown that the global economy might lose $280 billion just in the first quarter of 2020.
An important lesson from this outbreak is that such disease spares nothing, either human or otherwise.
A good look around shows that some ventures have been greatly affected by Coronavirus especially businesses in China and countries fully dependent on supplies of raw materials from China.
Markets around the Asian regions have recorded great loses with some airlines having to cancel their flights inbound for China.
The global supply chain to Apple has dwindled with sales getting affected negatively, Maersk has cancelled up to 50 trips to Asia and many more like that.
Business executives must understand that directing funds to an epidemic outbreak would have a huge return on investment.
It is now time for businesses to fight this current epidemic and make sure that the world is fully prepared to fight any potential future outbreak.
From February to April alone, the WHO requires $61.5 million for urgent preparation, but so far till the last week of February, the health organisation has only received less than $2 million in cash and not more than $30 million in pledges.
Countries like Ireland, Czech Republic, and Slovakia have contributed to the course.
Norway, United Kingdom, Japan, Canada, France have pledged while the European Union, as well as Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, have also made their pledges.
But as at now, the business hasn’t contributed their quota. Surprisingly, big global businesses running on millions of dollars are not left out as well.
What comes to the mind is Nigeria’s response to the Ebola outbreak back in 2014, private business contribution to nip the disease in a bud was very effective.
Aliko Dangote and UBA donated millions of dollars to the African Union, with no doubt, the impact of this was seen as it contained the spread of the deadly disease in West Africa.
Businesses can give assistance to the country’s public health institutions for them to prepare for the epidemic. The support that will make laboratories work and render diagnostic capacities very effective.
Nigeria already has four reference laboratories that were created by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) with support from partners.
Nevertheless, these cant be enough to totally stop the spread of the epidemic in the country.
The NCDC and other public health institutes require support from private ventures to make effective improvement. The truth here is that the government can’t fight this alone.
Some of these private businesses are located in remote areas, where these primary health care centres are located.
Funding some of these health workers in the rural community will prevent disease outbreaks.
Health workers in the community can share simple and basic knowledge of handwashing and how large it can prevent the spread of epidemics like the Coronavirus.
On this current outbreak, the remotest part of the world would be the weakest link, therefore these poor communities deserve a health priority and support rendered by private ventures.
Featured Image: fda.gov
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