By CrossRiverWatch Admin
With the declaration of the Coronavirus outbreak as a global pandemic by World health Organisation and the confirmation of COVID-19 cases in Lagos, Ogun and neighboring Cameroon, Cross River State has doubled its effort to safe guard its citizens and residents while pushing strong messages about the virus to all communities.
The Cross River State Government through the State Ministry of Health has today handed over equipment worth millions of naira to the State’s Isolation Center located at the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital. Governor Ben Ayade in a meeting with the Board of UCTH and some stakeholders in the health sector had months ago promised to support UCTH as they collaborate with the State Government to deliver quality health care to all resident in Cross River.
The Commissioner for Health Dr. Betta Edu announced that there is no suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19 in Cross River State. She made the donation on behalf of the Governor, while expressing joy that the State can now boast of a 24 hours WHO approved isolation center at the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital.
The donated items include; hospital beds, screens, air conditioners, examination beds, plastic tables and chairs, bedside lockers, non contact infrared thermometers, digital blood pressure equipments, stethoscope, digital thermometers, safety boots, washing machines, PPEs, mackintosh, etc.
Presenting the equipments to the CMD of UCTH, Prof. Ikpeme, the Commissioner for Health Dr. Betta Edu on behalf of the State Governor thanked the management for doing a wonderful job in supporting the State to handle the corona virus pandemic. She reiterated the State’s readiness to provide more equipments where necessary and her willingness to continue the synergy to ensure that the State remains corona virus-free. She noted that the isolation center was not only for corona virus but all diseases that need isolation.
“On behalf of the Governor His Excellency Sen Ben Ayade, I officially hand over this equipment for judicious use in the isolation center, this is expected to serve humanity and save lives. His Excellency wishes to use this medium to thank and appreciate UCTH for the wonderful job you’ve been doing in supporting the health sector. This isolation center is not being setup because we wish to have such occurrences but because we want to be ready for any disease outbreak that requires isolation or quarantine. This is of standard and far more bigger than the temporal one we have at General Hospital Ogoja.
Receiving the equipments on behalf of the Chief Medical Director of UCTH was the C-MAC Prof. O. Ngim who thanked the Governor Sen. Ben Ayade for having the interest of Cross Riverians at heart and the Health Commissioner Dr. Betta Edu for her sleepless nights and tremendous efforts to seeing that the State remains free of corona virus.
He appreciated her for her regular visit to the isolation center and always keeping in touch with the Hospital to make sure everything is in place.
“Let me formally inform us today that there’s no single case of corona virus in Cross River State as the cases of the two foreigners after thorough investigation and examination are not suggestive of the virus. The State Governor and the Health Commissioner have been up and doing and everything needed in addressing this pandemic has always been made available. We can’t thank Governor Ben Ayade and Dr. Betta Edu enough as their support has brought us this far.” words of Prof. Ngim.
The NMA Chairman Dr. Ayuk, Director Medical Services Dr. Essien, Director Public Health Dr. Iwara, Management of UCTH as well as other dignitaries from State were at the event as they all applauded the Governor for giving the health sector nothing but the best.
Culled from The Sun.