Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
Bayelsa State Government has charged primary health workers to intensify their efforts at preventing the outbreak and spread of the dreaded COVID-19 pandemic in the state.
The state Deputy Governor, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo gave the charge at a meeting with the Coordinators of Primary healthcare in the eight local government areas of the state in Government House, Yenagoa.
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Senator Ewhrudjakpo while expressing dissatisfaction with their current efforts, , urged them not to be carried away by the fact that the state is yet to record any confirmed case of COVID-19 infection.
The Deputy Governor pointed out that primary health care workers have a critical role to play in the fight against the pandemic as prevention remains the most effective panacea to any disease.
Consequently, he directed the coordinators to work closely with their respective local government council chairmen to sensitize the people on the danger of contracting the Coronavirus.
His words, “The state government will not shy away from taking responsibility to be sure that we are putting all hands on deck
to ensure that COVID-19 does not come into our state.
“And the only way we can do that is for those of you in the primary healthcare sector to do what is expected of you. For now, prevention is the best solution and not the cure.
“Yes, ventilators are necessary but you can see that with all the sophisticated health system of the United States, Italy and other developed countries, they are not able to withstand COVID-19.
“So, clearly it is a prevention issue. Once you stop it from coming in, you’ve got it right. That is why all our emphasis and efforts should be geared towards prevention especially now that we don’t have any single case of infection.”
Senator Ewhrudjakpo seized the opportunity of the meeting and took a swipe on the state Primary Healthcare Development Board (PHDB) over what he described as unsatisfactory management of funds meant for routine immunization