Ogun State completes world-class isolation, treatment centres

- Begins community testing

The Ogun State government has completed the construction of world-class isolation and treatment centres equipped with special Intensive Care Units (ICUs) at Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital (OOUTH), Sagamu and in Ikenne-Remo respectively.

The state governor, Dapo Abiodun, who spoke at a press briefing at the weekend on the activities of the state government to curb further spread of Coronavirus pandemic in the state, said the state had now completed the ICU floor of the intended 250-bed hospital in Abeokuta, which has 18 available beds of which eight are high dependency and 10 ICU.

“In addition, we are finalising the renovation of the 75-bed Infectious Disease Hospital at Iberekodo, Abeokuta,” he said.

Abiodun, while congratulating the Moslems on the commencement of the sacred Ramadan fast, noted that this year’s Ramadan becomes peculiar and different from many in the past because of the need to avoid congregational prayers.

“This is because of the expediency of observing the rule of social distancing as necessitated by the prevailing situation across the globe,” he said.

He said that the state had also completed the installation of testing booths, which are already being deployed across the state, particularly around the vulnerable areas.

These, according to him, include communities at the border with Lagos State, and the international border communities.

He said: “I want to report that this has significantly boosted our effort to test individuals.

“A major feature of this testing booth, the first in sub-Sahara Africa, is that it protects the health officials carrying out the tests from being infected,” he stated.

Meanwhile, the governor enjoined all to continue to take cognisance of the health safety and recommendations issued earlier, saying: “It is important that we do not allow continued surge in cases and the attendant risk of continued community transmission.

“We will once again encourage our people to adhere to all health safety measures put in place to flatten the curve in the country, in general, and in Ogun State in particular through social distancing, washing of hands with soaps and use of alcohol-based sanitiser where there is no water.

“We have always encouraged the use of face-masks but let me add that with the reality facing us, the use of face-masks in public places by all individuals in Ogun State is now compulsory as from Friday, May 1, 2020.

“We will also begin to distribute face-masks to those who cannot afford to buy in addition to other materials to our vulnerable groups across the state.”

However, to further flatten the curve of Coronavirus spread in the state, the government yesterday disclosed that it would begin community testing of suspected patients in the 20 local councils of the state.

Abiodun, in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Kunle Somorin in Abeokuta, urged everyone who falls within the national Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) case definition, especially those with symptoms, to come forward and be tested for free.

This, according to him, will reduce the continued possibility of community transmission.