Tension At Health Ministry As Senior Officials Test Positive For COVID-19


Posted on: Fri 10-07-2020

Fear and anxiety have enveloped the Federal Ministry of Health headquarters in Abuja, as many senior officials have tested positive for COVID-19, and had even begun spreading it among themselves, knowingly or unknowingly. 

There are strong indications that the headquarters of the Federal Ministry of Health, located at Federal Secretariat Complex, Abuja, may be shut down, temporarily, to contain the spread of COVID-l9 among senior officials.

The ministry shares a block with several other Federal Government agencies and parastatals, with an unrestricted thoroughfare, which has increased the fears of further spread of the virus to other offices within the Federal Secretariat.

A senior official of the health ministry who spoke to Daily Sun on the condition of anonymity, said the Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, a few weeks ago, directed that COVID-19 test should be conducted on officials who have been at work since the lockdown was imposed.

“The test was conducted on the staff as directed by the minister. It was concluded yesterday (Wednesday). Meanwhile, the result of the tests done earlier have begun to come in and many of them have returned positive. We are expecting more of the results soon and there are indications that many positive cases would be recorded, which may compel the minister to shut down the entire ministry for decontamination and other measures,” the official told Daily Sun.

On July 6, director of media and publicity, Olujimi Oyetomi, in a message to journalists seeking information said: “Please, note that unauthorised persons are not allowed into the ministry for now. Use other platforms to get across.”

Source: thesun