Enugu government warns against faulting of COVID-19 protocols

Enugu state government has called on every Enugu resident, particularly the journalists to be responsive in disseminating information about COVID-19 protocols to all the hooks and crannies of the state to prevent the spread of the pandemic.

The state commissioner for health Emmanuel Obi made the appeal while briefing journalists on the situation and on going efforts of the state government towards preventive measures to stop the spread of the pandemic since the out break of the pandemic in Enugu with two casualties.

Obi warned that COVID-19 has not gone and that it has no proven vaccine for cure, therefore called on Enugu residents to adhere strictly to all the COVID-19 protocols recommended by NCDC to save their lives and others.

According to Obi, ” As at 15 December 2020 which was yesterday, we have had total number of reported cases to be 9591 line listed cases, 7484 samples have been taken and as we speaks to you now we have sample collection centers in all the 17 LGAs ,1372 cases have been confirmed so far in Enugu, 1321 has been discharged from treatment and this is as a result of massive response we have heard. we have 21 confirmed deaths however the number of our active cases in Enugu are 30 of them, health workers are not speared in this occasion we have 107 health workers in Enugu state tha were affected with covid 19″. Including 15 NYSC members.

The commissioner explained that covid-19 came as a surprise and was experienced by the entire world, but because the state ministry was well equipped with some lay down procedures on diseases control, it easy for the professionals in the ministry to quickly do what they did for quick approval by the executive to ensure that the people are protected from this novel disease.

He said that the government moved out to support the issues that were raised by the ministry to address covid 19 , such as building health facilities, isolation center ,Ambulances were bought, personal protective equipments,(PPE) which he said is the most frequently equipment by all the health workers handling the affected person. Schools were closed because the fattest way to spread disease is institutions .

He advised that visitors or people who traveled from other states to their villages during this festive period should take advantage of the sample collection centres in their local government areas if any symptoms are noticed.

The Commissioner said though the pandemic spreads faster, the state government had lived up to its responsibilities in the provision of test kits, protective materials and other necessary materials to prevent the spread.

“We have received support from some Non-Governmental Organization (NGOs); World Health Organization; Red Cross and UNICEF among others

The state, “the commissioner said now have a testing centre at the UNTH, Enugu and also a private hospital that is also testing and we are in the process of reviewing how many more can be tested”, There is a full-fledged general hospital at Igboano in Nsukka .

He said that the state ministry of health would reactivate all its organs in both urban and rural areas to ensure hand washing and other covid COVID-19 protocols are followed

He said that the issue of creating awareness for for people to obey the protocols should be every bodies responsibility so that we can protect ourselves and protect others,
The government has also engaged the fire service to ensure that all the public places are fumigated.

The briefing was coordinated by the state ministry of information who’s commissioner was represented by a Deputy Director in the ministry Emeka Nnebo.