• Friday, March 29, 2024
businessday logo

BusinessDay

Coronavirus: Edo Acquires 25 Ventilators, trains 4,218 medical personnel

Gov-Godwin Obaseki

Edo State government said it has so far acquired 25 ventilators for the management of the Coronavirus pandemic in the state.

A ventilator is used to support COVID-19 patients whose lungs may have been attacked by the disease.

The state has also asked all drug regulating agencies in the country to ensure that only authentic and effective drugs are used in managing the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).

The State Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu disclosed the purchase of the ventilators on Monday during a press briefing by the state COVID- 19 Response Committee at government house in Benin City.

“We are also working to increase the number of ventilators and other equipment in our isolation centers.

“At the moment, we have received additional 12 ventilators today bringing the total to 25 ventilators at the isolation center in Stella Obasanjo Hospital and also in Irrua and Auchi centers,” he said.

Shaibu also disclosed that a total of 4,218 medical personnel are currently being trained for the management of the Coronavirus disease in the state.

“Edo state government has embarked on training of a total of 4,218 medical personnel drawn from across the 18 Local Government Areas of the state in the first instance.

“This will be the first set of people that will be trained. These persons already have basic training for handling crisis but the skill-level needs to be updated to contain the emerging trend.

“They would be undergoing Train-the-Trainer sessions after which they will go back to their respective facilities to train their colleagues. The health workers are drawn from private, state and federal medical centres,” he added.

The deputy governor added that the state government was ramping up medical supplies to tackle the pandemic in the state, especially Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).

He said the medical supplies was geared towards ensuring that health worker that would be on duty for the management of the outbreak will be equipped with complete kits to protect themselves.

Philip revealed that government will commence massive screening and testing for Coronavirus in the state in order to get statistics on how widespread the virus is in the state to ensure effective planning and containment.

He however, expressed hope that the Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, Frank Okiye, who is the first confirmed case in the state will be discharged by next weekend.

“We are still expecting another set that we sent for testing and by tomorrow we will get the results. And if by tomorrow they are all negative that will form our data.

“But we do not need to bore you with those that have tested negative. What we have been doing is keep data and follow up all the contacts.

“Some by weekend will be out and by the grace of God by weekend we should be celebrating our speaker is out. So, we are tracking and following the laid-down procedure for international best practice”, he stated.

Also speaking, the state commissioner  for health, Patrick Okundia, who said the state government was not leaving any stone unturned in tackling the epidemic said a new stand-alone 28- bed facilities at Stella Obasanjo hospital that will serve as ICU and isolation centre for severely or critically ill COVID-19 patients will soon be completed.

Okundia, who said government is planning to have more diagnostic and testing centers, added that work was in progress to have another Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) machine in Edo North and Edo South senatorial districts.

In her remarks, the World Health Organisation (WHO) Coordinator in Edo State, Faith Ireye, said for the two confirmed cases in the state, 71 contacts are listed.

Ireye said 13 persons had been identified with their samples taken to Irrua Specialist Hospital for testing.

“For those who returned from abroad, over 36 persons were on self-isolation and completed their 14 days and now we are following up with 46 others. Social distancing is important, we should work together to keep the state safe for us all”, she said.

Governor, Godwin Obaseki gave the charge on the authentic drugs for Conoravirus in commemoration of the International Drug Checking Day, marked every March 31.

Obaseki listed some of the drug regulating agencies to include the National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON).

According to him, while there is no authorised drug with concrete evidence to treat the new virus yet, relevant agencies of government must intensify efforts at protecting citizens from fake and substandard drugs, which litter the market with promise to cure the virus.

“While medical experts and scientists battle to produce the right drugs to remedy this public health crisis, some unscrupulous elements have flooded the streets and markets with shadowy therapies and drugs for cure. This is abysmal and unfortunate.

“As we join the rest of the world in marking the International Drug Checking Day, it is imperative that we ensure people are educated on drugs and made aware of their effects, especially now that the entire world is being ravaged by COVID-19”, he said.

The governor noted that the COVID – 19 pandemic was a wakeup call to all drug regulating agencies such as NAFDAC, SON, the National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD), and Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN), among others to ensure that only verified and authentic drugs are made available for public consumption.

While condemning the indiscriminate consumption of chloroquine, he assured that the state government would work with the State Ministry of Health (SMoH), Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) and pharmaceutical associations to immediately swing into action to reach patent medicine stores to regulate the sale of medicines, especially chloroquine.

He however, advocated increased awareness on drug usage and checking as well as the sensitisation and knowledge sharing to further empower more Nigerians to make informed decisions about their health and safety.