The Oyo State Government says it will soon open a multi-functional 100-bed COVID-19 Care Centre in Saki to strengthen its fight against the novel coronavirus disease.
The state Deputy Governor, Rauf Olaniyan, announced this while taking delivery of some hospital equipment donated to the state by the Nigerian Private Sector Coalition Against COVID-19 (CACOVID) on Friday in Ibadan.
Olaniyan remarked that COVID-19 is a global pandemic that could spread faster and infesting scores of people rapidly.
“I need to particularly recognise the effort of all stakeholders who have donated to this course.
READ ALSO:Dissolution of Zamfara LG Councils Unconstititional – APC
“This has added value to the support of COVID-19 screening and treatment in Oyo state.
“Today’s donation will be an addition and solely dedicated to the isolation centre in Saki.
“The state government appreciates this contribution and looks forward to furthering collaborations,’’ the deputy governor said.
In his remarks, Prof. Temitope Alonge, the Deputy Chairman of the state COVID-19 Task Force said that Saki isolation centre would also serve as a coronavirus research centre.
“The Saki centre is going to be three-in-one: isolation, observatory and treatment.
“The reason we need to have an observatory is that it is a border town with many people coming in from the other West African States, particularly the Benin Republic and Burkina Faso.
“It has a 100-bed capacity to be divided into the intensive care unit with 10 beds, high dependency unit with 20 beds, while the general male and female wards will have 70 beds.
“The governor has approved the fund for the place to be adequately equipped.
“We want it to be fully functional and take care of patients immediately it is opened,’’ Alonge said.
He commended CACOVID for the donation, adding that the items would help the Saki care centre to operate at its maximum capacity.
He said the donation thrilled him as CACOVID team took cognisance of the disease pattern being managed at the centre and provided appropriate equipment.
“On many occasions, people have made donations of items that are only good on paper, but in terms of usefulness, probably not as good.
“But what they have done is to provide everything from the mundane to the expensive ventilators, which are all going to be utilised for the management of this disease,’’ he said.
Dr Timothy Arowoogun, Coordinator of CACOVID in Oyo and Osun states, said the fight for survival against the coronavirus pandemic, had become a collective responsibility and not of that of the government alone.
“We all must join the fight if we must stay alive.
“This is why CACOVID, in partnership with First Bank of Nigeria Limited, as part of its contribution towards the eradication of the COVID-19 pandemic, is donating this equipment,’’ Arowoogun said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that items donated include, personal protective equipment (PPE), biohazard bags, oxygen cylinders, oxygen concentrator, nebuliser, defibrillator, 12 Lead ECG Electrode and centrifuge among others.