Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu has sought support from religious, traditional, community leaders and educationists to contain the spread of the deadly Covid-I9 also known as coronavirus
At a stakeholders’ forum on the management and control of the disease, in Ikeja, on Tuesday, Sanwo-Olu, represented by his deputy, Obafemi Hamzat, the collaboration of all was necessary to check the disease.
The governor also appealed to the residents of the state to desist from rumour mongering on the virus and adhere strictly to medical precautions.
“Apart from the threat of coronavirus, an issue of concern is fake news on social media about the patient currently receiving treatment at a government facility,” he added.
Sanwo-Olu warned against spreading information which did not emanate from the federal ministry of health, Lagos State ministry of health or the national centre for disease control.
He said that as a responsible government, his administration had no alternatives to activating all medical procedures that would ensure that coronavirus would not put the lives of the residents at risk.
He reiterated that although the government did not desire an increase in the number of coronavirus cases, it was prepared to handle any further incidents.
Sanwo-Olu said that owing to the state government’s experience with Ebola in 2014, the government, in partnership with the Canadian government, set up Biosafety Level-3 Laboratory at the Mainland Hospital Yaba.
He said that the laboratory was to enhance the capacity to manage any disease outbreak such as the coronavirus existing in more than 67 countries.
He urged that all hands should be on deck to prevent the spread of the disease
He added that Lagosians must adhere to the simple procedure that could break the chain of transmission of the disease.
The governor appealed to anyone with fever, cough or difficulty in breathing, to seek medical attention immediately at a primary healthcare centre or a general hospital.
The stakeholder’ forum, according to Gbenga Omotoso, the commissioner for information and strategy, was organised to enlighten Lagos residents on the virus.
“Lagosians need to form a strong bond to ensure that there is compliance with medical advice to prevent an upscale of the coronavirus situation in the state,” he said.
JOSHUA BASSEY
