As part of measures to help protect Nigerian health workers from the risks associated with the Coronavirus pandemic, the West African Gas Pipeline Company Limited (WAPco) has donated thousands of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to doctors and workers in Ogun and Lagos states.
The provision of the equipment to thousands of doctors and health workers in Lagos state which is officially tagged ‘the epicentre’ of COVID-19 and Ogun state, the nearest state to Lagos, was borne out of the desire to prevent the spread of COVID-19 among the health workers in the country, the company said.
Osagie Ehanire, Nigeria Minister of Health disclosed recently that 113 Nigerian health workers in both public and private health facilities had been infected with the COVID-19 across the country. This prompted WAPco to extend the provision of the PPE which have been distributed in other West African countries, such as Ghana, Republic of Benin and Togo, to Nigeria.
Speaking at the handing over of the PPE to Ogun State Government in Abeokuta, Temitope Sodeinde, Deputy Manager, External Relations, WAPco, noted that the provision of PPE to Ogun and Lagos states were undertaken to prevent and contain the spread of COVID-19.
“Today, we are here, not only as representatives of the West African Gas Pipeline Company Limited, but also as part of humanity. Having seen the general lack of protective equipment and medical supplies for medical personnel around the world, WAPco felt it necessary to extend a hand of fellowship by supporting the Lagos State and Ogun State with needed materials.
“We are hopeful that this will aid in no small measure in the fight against COVID-19 and we emerge victorious. Our presence is also felt in these communities and states as we have invested a lot in the development of communities within which we work. So far, we have schools, hospitals, water supply points built by WAPco to foster good neighbourliness,” he said.
He said WAPco had also lunched its Livelihood Programme, which enables children from within its areas of operations to have access to education. The programme has cost WAPco about $2.6m over the last seven years, he said.
Responding on behalf of Ogun state, Tomi Coker, Commissioner for Health, lauded WAPco’s effort in helping contain COVID-19 and protecting health workers.
He thanked the company on behalf of the state governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun.
“As you have mentioned that the frontline workers are the most vulnerable, from what we got from the news, over 40 health workers have been infected and we in Ogun state, we are very proactive in ensuring that hopefully, none of our frontline workers will find themselves in this situation.
“So, with these, you are actually partners in progress in ensuring that we protect our frontline workers and we will make judicious use of these PPE which you have presented to us.”
