The Federal Government yesterday called for unified efforts by stakeholders to tackle the emerging COVID-19 variants in the country.

The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Development, Prof. Ali Pate, made the call in Abuja at a strategic meeting on COVID-19 preparedness and response.

The meeting was organised by the National Emergency Management Agency, following the recent emergence of a new COVID-19 variant in China and subsequent international concerns about the spread of the deadly virus.

NEMA conveyed the strategic stakeholders meeting to discuss preparedness, response plans, and proactive measures within Nigeria’s national context against the virus.

The minister, represented by a Director in the Public Health Department Chidinma Agbai, highlighted the devastating global impact of the pandemic and Nigeria’s resilience despite initial dire predictions.

He warned against misinformation and urged collaboration among stakeholders, including health officials and the media, to strengthen border controls and revive pandemic response infrastructure. He said: “In a couple of months, the global world became affected one way or the other.”