The Executive Governor of Ondo State, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu has asserted that the safety and welfare of health workers remain the priority of his administration.
Akeredolu made the assertion while receiving over 500 face masks donated to his government by the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
Responding to request made by a corps doctor, Olasunkanmi Owolabi, that adequate Personal Protective Equipment should be made available to medical and health workers to combat COVID-19, the governor said that his government had enhanced hazard allowance for the health workers in the state.
He added that the state government had entered into partnership with reputable insurance companies to provide insurance cover for the vulnerable set of people.
“Let me inform you that despite the challenges the countries all over the world are facing in sourcing Personal Protective Equipment, Ondo State government is on top of the situation and we shall stop at nothing to ensure that our health workers are adequately protected.
“As a motivation, we have just enhanced the hazard allowance for our health workers. We did not stop at that, we have entered into agreement with reputable insurance companies to provide life cover for those engaged to contain the novel COVID -19.”
The governor disclosed that the state government had commenced mass production of face masks for the citizens and residents of the state as one of the best practices in the medical field to contain the spread of coronavirus.
“Before the end of the week, we shall receive the first batch of these face masks from the contractors engaged by the government for that purpose and we would ensure that all government workers and those on essential duties are serviced before the commencement date for the compulsory use of face masks in the Sunshine State,” he said.
Akeredolu who was represented by his Special Adviser on Health Matters, Dr. Jibayo Adeyeye, thanked the NYSC for taking the initiative to support the government.
Earlier, the State Coordinator, Mrs. Grace Akpabio, while disclosing that the scheme was poised to support the Ondo State government in whatever way possible, hinted that the NYSC was a beneficiary of the large heart of the governor.
The state coordinator said that the scheme had mobilised members of the service corps under the Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) Vanguard to mass produce antiseptic hand sanitisers and face masks which had been donated to government hospitals, institutions and corporate organisations to prevent the spread of the COVID -19.
The presentation which was done in the office of the Special Adviser to the Governor on Health Matters was witnessed by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Dr. Dipo Durojaiye, and the representatives of SAED Vanguard that produced the face masks.
