The Federal Government says the immediate task at hand is to prevent spread of the Covid-19 pandemic in communities around the country.
The government has also rated Lagos’ level of preparedness against the virus very high, describing some of the facilities already in place in the state, including the new isolation centre at Onikan Stadium, as world-class.
Boss Mustapha, chairman of the federal task force on containment of the Coronavirus and Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), who led other members to inspect facilities in Lagos, noted, however, that with the processes put in place, Nigeria walks the path of winning the battle against the killer virus.
Among the facilities visited by the federal task force were the Onikan centre, Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) and the Gbagada General Hospital.
Mustapha, who spoke to journalists after inspecting the 100-bed Onikan isolation centre, said the immediate task before the Federal Government was to stop the spread of the virus in communities.
“We’ve taken a tour of this facility (Onikan) which is a very important place in anticipation that we’ll have to receive more patients here. So far, I think Lagos State is doing a great job. From what I’ve seen here, they’re putting up a first class and world-class facility that will help us in the management of those that are affected.
“I think we are on course and the basic strategy of the national response is containment, to try as much as possible to reduce the spread by tracking those that have already been infected so that we minimise the case of community transmission,” he said.
He noted that plans and processes so far put in place by both the federal and state governments were such that would help to achieve the objective of curtailing the spread of Covid-19.
“I listened to the Lagos State Commissioner for Health where he said there were indications that the lockdown and the processes that have been put in place were achieving the desired objective.
“And I would ask you, the media people, to continue to broadcast out there that we need to maintain social distance, we need to maintain personal hygiene and we need to report anybody within the community that has shown symptoms of the infection, so that as quickly as possible, the help that is desired can be extended to that person,” Mustapha said.
Joshua Bassey
