Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State has described the death of three health workers due to COVID-19 and infection of 24 others as frightening.
Umahi, who made the declaration during a meeting with the COVID-19 response committee, officials of World Health Organisation (WHO) and other stakeholders in Abakaliki, yesterday, attributed the development to carelessness and nonchalant attitude of the public toward the pandemic.
He said the people should learn to take responsible action to stop further spread of the virus in the state.
“You will see a husband that is infected with COVID-19 feeling that it is the time to increase his love life with his wife and vice versa.
“Our people should know that no matter how much you love your wife or children, on the judgment day, you will not answer for them,” he said.
Umahi also regretted that despite the alarming increase of the infection in the state, people still have wrong notion about the disease.
“People say on the social media that we upload the numbers to get money but nobody has given me ‘one kobo’ except donations from individuals and the Federal Government.
“Every fund spent on this COVID-19 fight is uploaded into the state government’s website and is disbursed through committees,” he said.
The governor noted that with the community transmission, the state has to change tactics, to effectively check the situation.
“I am putting forward several recommendations for your consideration which include: concerted efforts to complete renovation of our general hospitals and embark on house to house monitoring of people who show COVID-19 signs.
“We should daily identify them in our communities and send them to isolation centres through an effective community identification programme,” he said.
Umahi said government has approved N105 million for the purchase of some equipment such as oxygen and blood pressure monitor for the general hospitals at Ikwo, Ishiellu and Onicha councils.
“We can also procure ultra sound, X-ray machines among others and station them at each of the three senatorial zones while the committee should meet and recommend the equipment we should purchase,” Umahi said.
Commissioner for Health, Daniel Umezurike, said despite the surge in the disease’s infection rate, the governor and all stakeholders should be commended for the efforts to mitigate the disease.
“We are one of the highest testing states in the country and stayed two months before recording the first case after the index case was reported in the country.
“We have tested 3,369 samples and despite recording 503 cases, we have effectively managed and discharged 111 cases after they tested negative,” he said.