Our COVID-19 Strategy, Preparing for Worst Scenario-Abayomi
Lagos State COVID-19 Strategy is preparing for the worst scenario, Commissioner for Health, Professor Akin Abayomi said while giving situation update.
The commissioner who noted that part of the strategies deployed by government is the commencement of taking body samples from residents at 20 local government levels for testing beginning from Monday, April 20.
According to Abayomi, the creation of sample stations at the local government areas is to bring testing closer to Lagosians through encouraging citizens that fit case definition of COVID19 visit the designated locations to drop samples for testing.
Abayomi explained that the model adopted by the state in community case search has given an idea of the pattern of COVID-19 in the population with Lagos Mainland, Etiosa and Ikeja leading the areas with most cases while Alimosho is put underobservation.
“Our strategies are working in Lagos. We are looking into the future and for us in Lagos, it is better to over prepare than under prepare. A lot of resources a redeployed to long term planning from immediate, intermediate and long term to ensure that Lagosians are safe so we minimize this impact.”, said Abayomi
He said the newly created stations would not involve in testing for COVID-19 rather would only allow residents of different local government areas easier access to centres where their samples can be collected and taken for testing.
He said so far, the COVID-19 strategy in ensuring residents have adequate preventive measures and information is also helping to mitigate the spread of the disease at a slow pace which enables adequate preparation for the worst scenario.
“We are not peaked yet, but we are not increasing at alarming rate, we expect to get worse but we have no idea when we will peak but our COVID-19 strategies are working” he assured.
Also, the state government is empowering Tailors in the state to mass produce face masks for home use “in order to reduce the amount of droplets produced, aerosolized when people sneeze or cough”
Treating COVID-19 Cases in Private Facility May Worsen Spread-NMA
The Commissioner added: “We are not encouraging the public to purchase medical masks so as not to deprive our medical community of the professional masks when they need it.” Said Abayomi.
He however warned, “By wearing a face mask, it doesn’t protect you from covid-19 infection, it just protects people around you from an increased amount of aerosol generated by the process of coughing.”
He advised residents of the State showing symptoms of COVID-19 to resist the urge to use private hospitals but call the COVID-19 hotline for pick up to the isolation centres “which are well equipped with skilled personnel and where our recovery rate is assured”
He disclosed that till date the Infectious Diseases Hospital now Yaba Centre has only recorded two deaths of the 14 deaths in the state while the rest occurred outside the centre.
Although the chairman of the Health Facility Accreditation and Management Agency, (HEFAMA) Dr. Yemisi Sowande-Koya disclosed that so far the state has only accredited one facility, First Cardiology Consultants, Ikoyi as COVID-19 Treatment Centre for complicated conditions.
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