The federal government has pledged to provide hand held infra red thermometers and personal protective equipment for all the tertiary health institutions in the country.
The minister of health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu disclosed this yesterday in Abuja during a meeting on strategies for Ebola Virus Disease(EVD) control with the chief executive officers of Federal Tertiary Health Institutions( Chief Medical Directors and Medical Directors) across the federation.
He noted that the objective of the meeting is to ensure continuity on the efforts recorded so far on the containment of EVD and to collaborate with all the tertiary health institutions in all the states of the federation to maximize progress and keep alert against emergency of any kind in the future.
“We will provide each of you with hand held infra red thermometers and some personal protective equipment for use in your respective hospitals.
“As our ambassadors in the states you are required to have the right information and competence to deal with any suspected case of EVD in your various states and as such you will also be provided with the right information on what to do in the event when you are confronted with a case.
“We are also strengthening the former Aviation Influenza Laboratories.
to be able to diagnose EVD” stated Chukwu.
The minister, however, warned that where there is high index of suspicious, all the protocol for prevention for EVD would be applied including the correct World Health Organisations approved PPE for EVD.
“I therefore urge all our CMDs and MDs to see this as an opportunity to reinforce the use of Universal Precaution in all our tertiary hospitals including safe disposal of medical wastes.
“I urge all the tertiary health institutions to provide isolation ward where suspected case could be kept before we come to isolate such to our isolation centre. You can rent a bungalow apartment outside the hospital to ensure safety” pleaded Chukwu,
The Permanent Secretary Federal Ministry of Health, Linus. N . Awute, highlighting on the significance of the meeting said that it was fashion out to interface with the various sates including FCT and hospitals to contain the deadly virus.
Mr. Awute who exlained that the capital budget submitted to Mr, President Goodluck Jonathan which was approved and led to the release of#1.9 billion was meant to purchase equipments for decontamination, PPEs and vehicles and should not be seen as money to be shared.
“The purpose of this meeting is to fashion out on how to interface with the various states governments including FCT and your hospitals in other to contain and maintain the zero case infection rate while maintaining adequate surveillance on the EVD and other VHFs” stated Awute.
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