The Delta State Coalition of Civil Societies Organization on COVID 19 Situation room, has lamented over poor condition of some isolation centres set up to check the spread of the dreaded coronavirus across the state.
Spokesman to the group Comrade Victor Ojei disclosed this in a statement signed by the group and made available to newsmen.
The coalition group which is saddled with the responsibility of checking and giving daily reports on the management of Coronavirus in the state expressed dissatisfaction over the condition of some isolation centres visited.
The group noted that in the cause of carrying out their duty, they visited Federal Medical Centre, Asaba, Warri Central Hospital, Warri, and Ughelli Central Hospital, Ughelli.
Speaking on observations gathered from the visited centres, the statement reads:
“At the Federal Medical Centre, Asaba, there was a newly built facility that houses the Asaba Covid 19- Holding Isolation and treatment centres. There was a clearly defined protocol for handling covid 19. The Centres’ facilities and personnel are prepared to contain the pandemic.
Federal Medical centre Asaba, currently has a Molecular Testing Mobile Facility that was purchase by the Delta State Government.
“At Warri Central Hospital, the facility is small and can not handle an upsurge of Covid 19 cases in Warri and Environs. The facility is below standard. There was no clear or established medical protocol in handling covid 19 patients at this centre. There is no holding centre at the facility and the Isolation and Treatment centre are clearly housed in the same facility. Medical Personnel at the Covid 19 centre needs more training specifically on how to handle covid 19 cases.No testing facility at this centre.
“In Ughelli, this centre is not prepared for covid 19 cases. There are no Protective medical kits for medical personnel at the centre, no clearly defined protocol to handle covid 19 cases,
Medical personnel at this centre needs training specifically on how to handle covid 19 cases.
There is no testing facility at this centre.
Based on observations gathered by the group from the visited centres, the following recommendations were given :
” Testing centres should be established immediately at the Warri and Ughelli Isolation centres, this will allow for early detection and quick isolation of cases.
“Medical personnel need to be enlightened regularly on best practice of handling covid 19 cases.
” Protective medical kits need to be provided for Ughelli central hospital and other isolation centres.
“Approved protocols from NCDC for the handling of Covid 19 cases from Holding centre, Isolation and Treatment centre should be strictly enforced in all Delta State Isolation centres.
” Life insurance should be provided for Covid 19 medical personnel and social distancing should be enforced in all medical centres
“The state government should address the complaints of harassment and intimidation on medical personnel by security agencies during the just concluded 4 weeks lockdown.
“There should be a clearly defined government action plan for the covid 19 pandemic and should be available to citizens.
Concluding, the group urged the State government to disclose to her citizens, how much it spent in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic.
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