The interim head of the Oyo State COVID-19 task force and former Chief Medical Director of the University College Hospital, UCH, Ibadan, Temitope Alonge, on Wednesday disclosed that the state has approved N500 million for the purchase of testing kits.
Alonge, who led members of the task force on a tour to ascertain the state of work at the 100-bed infectious disease centre, Olodo, Ibadan said the kits would be to equip the testing centres in the State.
The former UCH CMD who was appointed as the interim head of the task force after Governor Seyi Makinde tested positive for coronavirus acknowledged the dearth of testing kits at the two diagnostic centres.
Speaking after the tour, he said, once the newly ordered testing kits arrive, the centres would be able to conduct 20 tests per day.
On his part, Akinola Ojo who is the commissioner for finance and a member of the task for revealed that the state has received N100 million from well-meaning Nigerians to support the fight against coronavirus.
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The commissioner who refused to state the name of the individuals who donated into the account stated that the name of the donors will be uploaded on the state government website by end of the week.
The state government, he said, had also set up a COVID endowment fund where it expects more financial support from good spirited Nigerians to support the efforts of the Government.
Meanwhile, Governor Seyi Makinde has explained that a total lockdown of the state will be no benefit for now.
The governor said he opted for curfew as a form of partial lockdown which will still allow millions of people who earn daily income to go about their normal businesses while observing World Health Organization (WHO) precautions on COVID-19.
Participating in a radio programme in Ibadan, Makinde said “when we spoke last Saturday, everything that can be done to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in Oyo State, I said, was on the table. We will continue to assess the situation and take additional measures where necessary.
According to him, Yes, Lagos can be on lockdown, Ogun can be on lockdown, Oyo State, yes, people have been saying have a total lockdown and then I have been asking them questions. What will be the benefits here? Are there alternative courses of action for us to take? If you ask people not to come out, you lock down the market places, there are people who what they sell today – the profit from today’s activities is what they will eat tomorrow. There are plenty of people like that within our environment. So, are there alternatives available to us? Can we do selective lockdowns? That’s why I imposed the curfew, to say limit interactions.
“I think, everything is on the table but it has to follow a logical pattern and it will need the input of experts. We are not just going to lockdown because everyone is looking down.
“I have been watching CNN and the most successful place right now in containing this is the Czech Republic. And one of the things they brought out is that they made a law that if you must leave your house, you must wear a mask. It may be that route for us to go. I have asked them to start evaluating that. If we must make that law and say everybody that must go out must wear a mask, then, how about those who cannot afford it. Can we make masks locally? Can we get our artisans and our tailors to commit to that with the government supporting? So, those are the type of solutions we are looking for.”
