•Test defaulters, travellers with fake certificates for trial
•Seven isolation centres shut for under-utilisation
By Omolola Afolabi
The Lagos State Government will soon inaugurate 10 oxygen and sampling centres to improve management of severe-to-critical COVID-19 cases.
Commissioner for Health Prof. Akin Abayomi, who stated this during a news briefing on the COVID-19 pandemic, said the state would deploy the oxygen therapy centres in high-burden local government areas to manage severe-to-critical COVID-19 patients.
According to him, the centres are being sited at the Mother and Child Centre, Eti-Osa; General Hospital Alimosho; General Hospital Isolo; Aguda Primary Healthcare Centre, Surulere; and General Hospital Gbagada.
He listed others as Mother and Child Centre, Ifako Ijaiye; Ibeju-Lekki Primary Healthcare Centre; General Hospital Apapa; Odi Olowu Primary Healthcare Centre, Mushin; and Amuwo-Odofin Mother and Child Centre.
Abayomi said the oxygen centres at Mother and Child Centre, Eti-Osa; General Hospital Alimosho and General Hospital Isolo were already completed. The remaining seven centres would be completed in the next two weeks, he added.
He noted that medical oxygen is the primary treatment for the majority of patients who were suffering severe COVID-19 symptoms.
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The state also warned yesterday that it will soon take actions against inbound travellers, who have failed to present themselves for tests after seven days of coming into the country and others presenting fake COVID-19 certificates.
“Positivity for inbound travellers is on the rise; eight per cent this week and four per cent cumulative as Nigerians in the Diaspora return to spend Christmas in Lagos
“It has come to our attention that a number of people are patronising individuals that sell fake COVID-19 results.
“We are currently putting in processes to identify both buyers and sellers and we will not hesitate to prosecute either to the full extent of the law,” he said.
The commissioner also said the isolation centres in Onikan, Landmark, Gbagada, Agidingbi, Iddo, First Cardiology Cardiology Centre and Lagoon clinics have been closed down due to under-utilisation.
“Seventy-five cases are being managed presently, 28 suspected cases are also under our watch, we encourage Lagosians, who experience symptomatic of Covid-19 to present themselves at any of the isolation centres,” he added.
Abayomi said the mutation of the virus occurs almost every month and that a handful of mutations have been identified.
He added that there is little evidence that the coronavirus mutation has caused a major shift in Nigeria healthcare systems as it has in other countries like the United Kingdom and South Africa.
He urged residents to adopt a new lifestyle that would ensure reduction and prevention of the spread of the COVID-19 virus, especially at the climax of the Yuletide.
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