The Inter-ministerial committee set up by Governor Okezie Ikpeazu to work out modalities in preventing and responding to any case of Coronavirus pandemic in Abia State, has disclosed that the State government has fully activated the Abia Tele-Health facility to respond to enquires as well as coordinate with all the primary, secondary and tertiary health care facilities in the state.
The committee also disclosed that capable and well trained Abia Tele-health team is currently training staff of all 722 Primary Heath care Centers and Officers in Charge across all seventeen local government areas on how to remotely (on the phone) prevent, identify, manage, control and report and follow-up any suspected Coronavirus cases.
DAILY POST recalls that the Abia State Government had inaugurated a committee to manage the issues around the reported outbreak of Coronavirus in Nigeria.
The committee, which terms of reference include launching preventive media campaigns, putting machinery in place to protect vulnerable groups such as school children, identification and preparation of isolation centers in case of any outbreak in the state, procurement of test kits and drugs as well as coordination with state and federal agencies.
However, in a statement issued by the Secretary of the Inter-ministerial committee in the fight against Coronavirus, and the state Commissioner for Information, John Okiyi Kalu and forwarded to DAILY POST on Sunday, stated that the protocol was to step-down same to all staff members of Primary Health Centres, adding that the training is scheduled to be completed in the shortest possible time for deployment to assist those already on the facility.
It revealed that the state has two isolation centers in Umuahia: Federal Medical Center (FMC) and Amachara Specialist Hospital, with the former having good experience in management of patients with infectious diseases such as those infected with Lassa Fever.
According to the committee, the facilities are purpose-equipped for isolation of patients with such infectious diseases including those who may present with Coronavirus.
Among available intervention resources within the state identified by the committee included, “The Committee has also identified and readied a third Isolation center at Abia State University Teaching Hospital (ABSUTH), Aba, and we are working to prepare another one in Abia North Senatorial District of the State.
“Over 10,000 face masks and 1,000 digital thermometers with the state ministry of health for distribution to health institutions and others were in place and are currently being distributed.
“Adequate media resources to launch aggressive sensitization campaign in the state through partnership with private and government owned media houses in the state and beyond were identified. We have since launched the sensitization campaign and released phone lines to contact both local and national responders.
“Currently, the committee has advised all electronic broadcast institutions in the state to emphasize Igbo versions of their sensitization materials in order to reach more Abians in rural areas. In the same vein, all LGA Transition Council Chairmen in the state have been directed to enlist the services of town criers to support the sensitization effort.
“Sanitizers have been distributed to health workers in the state and automatic sanitizers are presently being mounted in government health institutions and offices.
“The committee has reviewed proposals to close both public and private schools in the state, measures to stop any gathering of more than 50 persons, and protection of our markets without disrupting normal activities and/or creating panic.”
