COVID-19: Ugwuanyi Approves N320m To Stop Spread Of Virus

The Enugu State Executive Council (EXCO) Wednesday approved N320m to tackle Coronavirus spread in the state.

 Ifeanyi Agujiobe, permanent secretary, Enugu State Ministry of Health, who briefed newsmen after the state executive council meeting, said the council also approved the immediate upgrade and relocation of the state Isolation Centre to ESUT Teaching Hospital, Parklane, Enugu.

According to him, the development followed the recommendations of the state medical team and also the advice from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), which recommended that isolation centres be located within specialist hospitals.

He said, “The relocation will be more proactive in case of an outbreak. The X-ray machines, the dialysis machines and other high-tech machines are domiciled in the teaching hospital.”

Agujiobe further said that the council approved the procurement of more personal protective equipment, sanitizers, masks, respirators and other items needed to help physicians manage their patients, adding that the team also requested the procurement of fully-fitted ambulances and incident vehicles to help respond to emergencies.

In his words,  “We shall embark on an aggressive campaign about the coronavirus. The council equally approved that funds be made available so that the health workers will have the requisite training and pursue contact tracing of those who may be suspected or may turn out to be positive so that we don’t need to have anything lacking.”   

 Agujiobi added that the sum of N150m was approved by the council to tackle the issue of Coronavirus and to ensure that the state is fully prepared, while the sum of N80m was also approved for the procurement of important and essential drugs that may be needed to treat and manage Coronavirus, Lassa fever and other communicable diseases.

According to him, “The Enugu State Executive Council, in addition, approved N100m to be kept in the Emergency Operation Centre account, in case of any emergency or any need to access fund before the next EXCO, so that we won’t be talking that there is no fund.”  

The team leader stated that the toll-free line is 117 and 112 while the dedicated line for emergency response is 08182555550.