Judex Okoro, Calabar
Officials from the Nigeria Centre for Disease control (NCDC), the Federal Ministry of Health and the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHDA) have arrived in Calabar, the Cross River State capital, to access the state’s effort in the fight against COVID-19.
The 6-man team is led by Dr Omobolanle Olowu from the Ministry of Health headquarters.
The team is to be conducted round the isolation centre at the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH), a tesing laboratory at Infectious Diseases Hospital (IDH) and the General Hospital.
Briefing the team on the state’ activities since the country recorded its index case in February 27th following the outbreak of the pandemic, the Cross River State Commissioner for Health and Chairman of the state’s COVID-19 response team, Dr Beta Edu, said the state has put measures in place to contain the spread of the pandemic virus.
Cross River along with Kogi remain the only states in Nigeria without reported or confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus, which has affected over 5,000 persons nationwide.
Dr Beta said the state is collaborating with the UCTH and all medical and para-medical associations such as Nigeria Medical Associatuin (NMA), medical laboratories, nurses and pharmacists in the area of training and retraining.
To further fight the spread of the pandemic, she said the state has set up over 50 monitoring teams stationed at strategic points and at border villages.
She added that 3 Isolation centres and 120 bed spaces have been provided by the state in case of any outbreak, urging that team recommend for the patronage of Calabar Garment Factory for the production of face masks and PPEs.
She also solicited for the support of the Federal Government in equipping the centres with PPEs.
Responding, the federal medical team leader, Dr Omobolanle Olowu, commended the state for its swift response to the pandemic which has killed over a hundred people in thr country.
She said the team would work with the state to achieve positive results.