Covid-19: Anxiety as govs agree on two-week inter-state lockdown
The Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, on Wednesday, explained why the molecular laboratory in Kano suspended testing for COVID-19.
Ehanire, at a media briefing of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 in Abuja, said the lab suspended testing because some of its workers were infected.
The minister stated this as governors agreed on the implementation of inter-state lockdown for two weeks.
But earlier on Wednesday, there were reports that the Kano laboratory, which began work a few weeks ago, halted testing because it ran out of reagents and kits.
But Ehanire, who confirmed that there was a shortage of reagents in the centre, said the chemicals had been sent to the laboratory.
He said, “As for the testing in Kano, there was a report that they had reduced availability of reagents and they were supplied. But in addition to that, there a was temporary halt in activities because some of the workers in the laboratory were infected and the laboratory had to be shut down for decontamination. That was just temporary.
“But with regard to supply with reagents, they have been replenished. They have personal protective equipment and reagents now.”
FG gets tough on patent medicine vendors
The minister also said the Federal Ministry of Health convened an emergency National Council of Health meeting, via a teleconference, where state commissioners of health and the acting Federal Capital Territory secretary for health were engaged to review responses to COVID-19 outbreak in the country.
He said that among the agreements reached at the meeting was that operating licences of patent medicine vendors found guilty of attending to patients with COVID-19 symptoms instead of contacting the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control would be withdrawn.
Patients must be treated where diagnosis are made
He said, “One of the resolutions unanimously adopted is that all persons diagnosed with COVID-19 will henceforth be treated in states where the diagnosis is made, rather than be referred to their states of origin, except there is a medical indication to the contrary. This is to avoid the high risk of exposure of other persons in the course of transfer.
“Patent medicine vendors and pharmacists will be prohibited from attempting to treat persons diagnosed as, or suspected to be COVID-19 patients, or else have their operating licences cancelled.”
The minister said the PTF was still interested in adopting local remedies to treat COVID-19 patient since there had been no cure for it.
Chinese doctors to be tested
Ehanire noted that the compulsory 14 days isolation for the Chinese medical personnel that came to help Nigeria in the fight against COVID-19 had expired and that he had directed that tests should be done for them on Thursday (today).
“I was reminded that those who came from China had spent 14 days in quarantine and I ordered tests to be done tomorrow to find out if any of them has the infection,” he said.
PHC to comb communities for infected people
The health minister said that with COVID-19 community transmission, the primary health care personnel would be required to comb communities for people who required testing.
He stated, “Primary health care has a role to play now. We are in the community transmission phase. It is really down at the grassroots so the role of the PHC comes into play. It is important for them to raise index of suspicion, do the surveillance, find persons who should go for treatment and move around the community and identify people who should go for testing.”
On the hazard allowance for health workers in the forefront of the fight against coronavirus, the minister said that the funds had not been finalised, but promised that it would soon be paid.
He also said that Nigeria like any other country had no enough personal protective equipment in stock, but would continue to order for it to safeguard lives of health workers.
He also disclosed that the NCDC workers, who were touring the country, would go into quarantine after their return because of their families.
COVID-19 spreading like wildfire — Task force
On his part, the Chairman of the PTF and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, raised the alarm over the coronavirus outbreak , saying the disease was “spreading like wildfire.”
He, therefore, urged Nigerians to strictly adhere to the protocols of the NCDC to prevent infection.
He said, “Let me remind us all that this pandemic is real and it’s spreading like wildfire. We must all arise to fight this potent and invisible common enemy by adhering to the guidelines and protocols of COVID-19, which include personal hygiene, social distancing, wearing of masks in public places, obeying the stay-at-home order and reporting unusual illness through the authorities for investigation.
“The situation in Kano continues to be of concern and the PTF is working in close contact with the state government to arrest the situation.” Punch
