The federal government says in the event of overflow of
hospitals, hotels and schools will be used for isolating COVID-19 patients.
Speaking at the briefing of the presidential task force on
COVID-19 on Thursday, Osagie Ehanire, minister of health, asked schools and
hotels to be prepared.
Nigeria has confirmed a total of 8,733 COVID-19 patients and
there have been complaints of inadequate bed spaces, especially in Lagos which
has 4,012 patients, the highest in Nigeria.
Ehanire expressed optimism that the situation in Nigeria
would not “experience horrific scenes of bed space shortages seen in some
European hospitals”.
“We are, not surprisingly, worried about the increasing
number of covid-19 confirmed cases; first because every life matters, but also
because of the capacity of our health system to cope,” he said.
“Nigeria presently has over 112 treatment and isolation
centres in the 35 states and FCT with over 5,000 beds, but not all States have
made it up to at least 300 beds prescribed for isolation and treatment.
“I had the privilege of commissioning one such center
yesterday, a re-purposed hospital in Benin City, Edo State, with 300 beds,
including ICU and an Edo State owned PCR testing laboratory. We need to
continue increasing bed capacity to match the probable number of patients, so
that we do not experience horrific scenes of bed space shortages seen in some
European hospitals.
“In event of overflow, we can require hotels and school
dormitories to be prepared for level 1 (Quarantine) and level 2 Isolation (of
COVID-19 positive with zero or mild symptoms), to free hospital beds to be
dedicated to level 3, (moderate to severe cases) and level 4, (high dependency
and Intensive care unit). I therefore call on activists and philanthropists to
work with State governments in concerted steps to scale up non-pharmaceutical
measures and beef up infrastrucural assets for isolation and treatment in their
states.
“Though we are in the community transmission phase of
response, easing social restrictions is desirable, but only if we can meet up
with expectations that will not allow a spike in infection rates. This is what
has led certain countries to reintroduce lockdowns. We are reviewing health
sector specific advisories on re-opening the economy.
“In event of overflow, we can require hotels and school
dormitories to be prepared for level 1 (Quarantine) and level 2 Isolation (of
COVID-19 positive with zero or mild symptoms), to free hospital beds to be
dedicated to level 3, (moderate to severe cases) and level 4, (high dependency
and Intensive care unit).”
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