From Steve Oko, Umuahia
Commissioner for Health Abia State, Dr. Joe Osuji, has declared that the had put in place, adequate measures to tackle the deadly coronavirus in the eventuality of its outbreak in the state.
The Commissioner who stated this Thursday while conducting journalists round one of the isolation centres at Abia Specialist Hospital Amachara Umuahia said the State government had already equipped three isolation centres to deal with the pandemic.
He said although there was no case of the disease yet in the state, government decided to ensure the isolation centres were fully equipped as part of proactive steps to contain the disease.
He said the 10-beded hospital had been provided with all the necessary facilities to ensure adequate treatment and comfort of patients in the event of its outbreak in the state.
The Commissioner explained that the isolation centre was formerly built for tuberclosis patients who had been relocated to the Federal Medical Centre Umuahia to free up the centre for eventual coronavisus patients.
He said that the necessary equipment needed for managing COVID-19 patients including 7000 Personnel Protective Equipment ,PPE; ventilators, among others had been delivered to the centre .
The Commissioner who said consultant doctors and nurses had also been deployed to the centre in the event of any outbreak described the centre as the best in the South East.
He said all facilities at the centre were functioning well for the comfort of eventual patients and the medical team.
The Commissioner dismissed as mischievous, claims by the opposition that the state were ill -prepared to deal with the pandemic, challenging them to visit the centre and other isolation centres for confirmation .
