Abel Leonard/ Lafia
The COVID 19 Emergency Operations Center, EOC in Nasarawa state has taken steps to enhance its response to the pandemic and other measures necessary in tackling future outbreaks in the state.
This is contained in a communiqué issued by the EOC in Lafia on Wednesday and made available to Deputy Governor’s Office Correspondents.
Sequel to the meeting of the Emergency Operations Center, EOC held at the Nasarawa state Infectious Disease and Research Center Lafia on January nineteen to review response to the COVID 19 pandemic in the state presided by the Deputy Governor and Chairman of the Taskforce on COVID 19, Dr. Emmanuel Akabe, members of the EOC deliberated extensively on vital issues relating to the pandemic with resolutions adopted in a draft communiqué.
According to the communiqué, the EOC resolved to intensify sensitization, community engagement involving traditional rulers and increase funding of the response to enhance sustainability as well as complete the optimization of the molecular laboratory at the Infectious Disease and Research Center Lafia.
They also stressed the need for government to issue an Executive Order and institute Mobile Courts to enforce compliance with preventive measures, particularly use of facemasks and avoiding overcrowding, using community service or monetary fines, just as the prioritization of Home Based Care for case Management through the General Hospitals and ensuring logistics support for the focal persons was emphasized.
The communiqué equally noted that the EOC is to improve coordination of pillar response in the areas of planning and implementation, develop a state-owned Incidence Action Plan to guide the response and address the identified gaps in the response, increase the number of laboratory technicians in the state Infectious Disease and Research Center Lafia and institutionalize plans for rapid response and diagnosis of other Infectious disease outbreak in the state apart from COVID 19.
Other resolutions adopted include procurement and installation of two Gene xpert machines for emergency cases, procurement and distribution of Infection Prevention and Control, IPC commodities and related materials to all health facilities, schools, worship centers and other public places in the state.
Also stressed was the need for setting up State IPC team with a team leader and an Infection Prevention and Control Committee, IPCC at the state ministry of health as well as establishment of sick bays in secondary and tertiary institutions, support research using secondary data, improve documentation, explore telemedicine as a means of decongesting health facilities and commence supportive supervision to all levels of care both private and public on essential services among other resolutions.
The communiqué however appreciated the support provided by the Nasarawa state Governor, Abdullahi Sule, the state Deputy Governor and Chairman of the Taskforce on COVID 19, commissioners of health, education and environment, members of the state taskforce, the Incident Manager and pillar leads.
It also acknowledged the support of the NCDC, World Bank, World Health Organization, WHO, Breakthrough Action Nigeria, Institute of Human Virology Nigeria, IHVN and the Clinton Health Access Initiative, to the COVID 19 response in Nasarawa state.
