Highlights of yesterday’s briefing by Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, on the Lagos COVID-19 response in the State.
1. Lagos State Govt has tested 16,000 suspected cases of COVID-19 since the outbreak of the pandemic in Nigeria. The highest in the country.
2. The cost of testing a patient ranges between N40,000 and N50,000. It is free for patients and Government bears the cost. Efforts are on to get the cost subsidised through Insurance or donations by aid partners.
3. Due to global shortage of reagents used in testing, Lagos Govt has contacted local scientists to produce alternatives. Two of the scarce reagents have been produced locally, thereby taking the pressure of chasing manufacturers of reagents overseas.
4. With the availability of reagents, Lagos to commence 1,000 tests per day on the coming days.
5. Lagos is about to roll out HydroxylChloroquine trial
6. Lagos will be validating a rapid-testing model, which will give hospitals the opportunity to test any person coming to the medical facility under 10 minutes. Some manufacturers have been engaged for this activity.
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7. Lagos Govt is developing and reviewing Bio-Security Emergency Preparedness Plan that will enable the State to ramp up capacity of its healthcare system and emergency response to manage future pandemic. This plan will raise Government’s capacity in controlling water-borne and airborne infectious diseases.
8. Post COVID, Lagos will be looking at urban renewal plan that will ensure people don’t live in a way that aid the spread of infectious diseases.
9. COVID-19 is not a death sentence; there’s high recovery rate, except there’s underlying health issue.
10. The Government is anxious to slowly reactivate the economy but residents must be coronavirus-conscious in their dealings
