Posted on: Thu 04-06-2020

The Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, has applauded the Governor Godwin Obaseki-led administration’s robust response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Edo State.

Ehanire stated this while commissioning two essential healthcare facilities, a bio-safety level three molecular laboratory and an isolation/treatment centre in Edo State to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic.

The minister, who carried out the function yesterday with the governor, his deputy, Philip Shuaibu, and other top state functionaries, were received at the Edo Specialist Hospital (ESH) by the administrator, Chukwuka Monye of Ciuci Consulting, a leading management consulting firm, where they inspected and commissioned the facilities with a promise to do more in ensuring that the pandemic is contained in the country.

Ehanire, who was reportedly impressed by the facility put in place to cater for suspected and confirmed COVID-19 patients, commended Obaseki and his team, saying: “For exceeding our earlier call on all states to partner with the Federal Government to put in place no less than 300-bed isolation and treatment centre to respond appropriately in the fight against COVID-19, I commended the Edo State Government and its team for their efforts in ramping up the testing capacity and ensuring that the state is positioned to address the healthcare needs of the people of Edo in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.”

He, therefore, urged other states to emulate the Edo example in supporting the Federal Government in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Obaseki had earlier expressed gratitude to indigenes and citizens that have assisted his government to put the repurposed and dedicated health facility in place, saying: “I want to thank the minister and his team for their visit and assured the Federal Government and the good people of Edo State of his administration’s commitment to providing quality facilities and other initiatives to ensure that the healthcare needs of the indigenes and residents are adequately taken care of.”

Meanwhile, Monye, in a statement in Asaba yesterday, stated that the dignitaries were also taken on a brief tour of ESH, a multi-specialist 200-bed facility, and were received at its bio-safety level three molecular laboratory by the hospital’s team of experts.

He also said that the molecular laboratory, which is working towards being ISO certified, is equipped to run both manual and automated nucleic acid extraction and can produce results of 94 samples within three hours.

According to him: “Thereafter, the minister and his team were also at the Stella Obasanjo Hospital Treatment Centre, previously a women and children’s hospital, which was renovated and repurposed within two weeks to a 340-bed treatment and isolation centre for suspected and confirmed COVID-19 cases.

“They were impressed by the facility that had been put in place to cater to suspected and confirmed COVID-19 patients. The centre, which is also managed by Ciuci Consulting, is fitted with a 10-bed fully equipped intensive care unit, a 12-bed paediatric unit, surgical and labour theatres, a medical laboratory, pharmacy, and ample indoor recreational amenities to ensure the psychological well-being of those in isolation.”

Source: Guardian

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