Doris Obinna
Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company (SNEPCo) on Friday donated multi million naira state-of-the-art medical and ancillary equipment and consumables to Lagos State Government to support the fight against COVID-19 in the state.
Receiving the equipment, at the Infectious Disease Hospital (IDH),Yaba, Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi commended NNPC and SNEPCo for extending support to the state government in the fight against the global pandemic.
He said: “The generous donation by NNPC and SNEPCO has shown that fights against COVID-19 infection should not be left to the government alone.
“The state government on its part will not relent in its efforts and vigilance to keep citizens safe in the face of the threats posed by COVID-19 pandemic. The donated equipment will go a long way in assisting the state government to increase testing capacity and improve management of COVID-19 cases.
“Therefore, we are very happy with the continuous relationship we had with you. It has kept us on our toes. Our job is to bring the outbreak under control and make economic activities continue as best as we can. The government is placing a delicate balance to make sure we have control over public health crisis and at the same time we will not allow it to fall into loss of livelihood.”
In his remarks, the Managing Director, SNEPCo, Mr. Bayo Ojulari commended the state government for measures put in place to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.
While noting that the strategies being implemented by the state government has boosted citizens confidence in government to tame the virus, he said, “The leadership of the state’s COVID-19 response team has enabled us keep hope alive that we shall indeed tame this diseases and resume living safely as we know it.”
Ojulari assured that SNEPCo and NNPC remains committed to the health and wellbeing of citizens and will continue to ensure that the health care personnel and support staff who are fighting to contain the spread of the disease can do their jobs professionally and safely.
“With the continuous support of Mr. Governor and the state government, Shell Nigeria Exploration and Company remains committed to the health and wellbeing of our partners and communities and would like, with these donations to support healthcare facilities and ensure that healthcare personnel who are fighting to contain COVID-19, can do their jobs professionally as safely.”
The donated equipment include; a COVID-19 compatible thermo fisher real-time PCR machine with extraction reagents and 2000 test kits for COVID-19 molecular screening test; high-grade plasma apheresis machine that aids the automatic separation of blood plasma for proper management of COVID-19 cases as well as intensive care unit ambulance and ventilators.
Others are; critical care hospital beds and mattresses; automatic external defibrillator machines; suction machines, infrared thermometers, respiratory nebulizers, oxygen cylinders, concentrators, 30KVA 48volts solar hybrid solution with 144kWh. Battery storage and 104 pieces of solar panels to provide alternative power to the Infectious Disease Hospital; 150KVA generator and medical consumables.