Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodinma, has announced the plan by his government to establish a Specialist Hospital for the coronavirus disease.
This is as he ordered the immediate closure of all primary, secondary and tertiary institutions in the state.
The measures, he said, were to nip the spread of Coronavirus pandemic in the bud.
Uzodinma who made a broadcast to the people of Imo State on measures to prevent and control the COVID-19, Friday stated that he was taking elaborate steps to ensure that the health and wellbeing of the people of Imo State remained the priority of his administration.
He stated: “As a responsible government, we have done our home work and I can assure you that there is truly no cause for alarm. All the necessary measures have been put in place to ensure that the virus does not find a breeding space in Imo State. Be rest assured that we shall not leave any stone unturned in ensuring that our people are safe, well protected by providing the necessary tool and expertise needed for maximum protection from Coronavirus pandemic.”
He further reiterated that he had inaugurated a star-studded Coronavirus Protection and Control Committee headed by Prof. Maurice Iwu to commence round the clock surveillance of all strata of the state for effective prevention and control of the disease.
To this end, Uzodimma said that arrangements had been put in place to test all passengers arriving at the Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport, Owerri for symptoms of the virus.
The governor assured that “any passenger that manifests signs of the disease will first be taken to a bay that has been set up at the airport for further examination. If confirmed that the symptoms are manifest, the passenger will immediately be taken to the test centres and if positive, quarantined at the isolation centre.”
On some of the actions already taken by the government for prevention and control of COVID-19 pandemic, Governor Uzodimma stated: “A state-of-the-art modern ambulance has been provided for the committee to facilitate its operations. This ambulance is equipped with necessary medical gadgets for quick analysis and test for the virus and will be on 24 hours standby to respond to any emergency anywhere in the state. In addition, we are liaising with the National Centre for Disease Control to ensure that we buy into the Federal Government’s Coronavirus prevention roadmap. Similarly, we are tracking global updates on the disease so as to remain ever vigilant on global efforts, control and eradication.”
Governor Uzodimma further noted that arrangements had been concluded to establish a Specialist Hospital specifically charged with control and prevention of the contagious disease.
The Specialist Hospital, he said, would ensure that neither Coronavirus nor any other contagious virus would be a threat to Imo people in the future.
Further to these measures, Uzodinma affirmed that “an isolation centre has been set up within the state capital to quarantine any person who tests positive to the virus. A test centre has equally been set up in Owerri to examine those with symptoms of the virus.”
As an additional preventive measure, Uzodinma advised that residents returning from overseas must be self-isolated for 14 days and contact the Rapid Response Centre, RRC, arm of the committee if need be.
Consequently, the Ministry of Health has been directed to immediately provide hand sanitizers to all government ministries and agencies.
Similarly, hotels in the state are to provide hand-washing platforms and sanitizers where guests can regularly wash their hands.
To ensure effective monitoring of human traffic in and out of Imo State, bus operators have been directed to maintain travel manifest as well as provide hand sanitizers on board their buses.
Uzodimma, who earlier inaugurated the nine-man Coronavirus Prevention and Control Committee led by Prof. Maurice Iwu charged them to undertake rigorous public enlightenment campaign, assuring that he would spare no resources to facilitate the committee’s assignment which he said was to ensure that the Coronavirus disease did not gain a foothold in Imo State.
