The Bayelsa State Government has inaugurated the State Project Steering Committee on the Nigeria COVID-19 Preparedness and Response Project (CoPREP) to enable the state to receive part of the 114.28 million dollars earmarked for all states in the federation by the federal government in partnership with the World Bank.
The Commissioner for Health, Dr Pabara Newton Igwele, while inaugurating the committee praised the state COVID-19 Task Force and Emergency Operations Centre for their relentless efforts in combating the first and second waves of the pandemic in the state.
Dr Igwele noted that as a result, the state was able to control the spread of the virus and emerged as one of the states with the best emergency response to the pandemic, which also helped to reduce the loss of lives.
The commissioner who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Dr Wisdom Ebiye Sawyer, added that the state’s efforts will be doubled to ensure that the new Delta variant does not come into the state.
He appreciated all the supporting ministries and said they will continue to work as a team to achieve greater results than what was accomplished last year.
In his presentation on the Bayelsa State COVID-19 Update and Nigeria CoPREP, the State Epidemiologist, Dr Bio Belu Abaye explained that the Bayelsa Public Health Emergency Operations Centre (PHEOC) was set up as an emergency response to contain the spread of the virus.
He said the state recorded 26 deaths due to the pandemic, adding that challenges the PHEOC experience include vaccine hesitancy, insufficient manpower for disease surveillance, inadequate warehouses, inconsistent power supply in the molecular laboratory among others.
Dr Abaye said it was necessary to constitute the Steering Committee which qualifies the state to receive part of the 114.28 million dollars earmarked for the Nigeria CoPREP, set aside for all states in the federation by the federal government in partnership with the World Bank.
Representing development partners, the State Coordinator, World Health Organization (WHO), Dr Edmund Egbe said the state has received 10,000 rapid diagnostic test kits for COVID-19 from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and urged everyone to get tested.
He also encouraged all present to be advocates for testing, and persuade those around them to get tested, such that a third wave does not catch the state unawares.
The Director of Public Health, Dr Stow Jones, in his remarks stated that more people should get vaccinated, as the state needs to achieve 70per cent vaccination in order to gain herd immunity and control new variants.
He thanked all participants and programme managers for contributing to the success of the event, saying with their support the state will record greater achievements.
The Permanent Secretary, Dr Wisdom Ebiye Sawyer on behalf of the Commissioner for Health, who doubles as the chairman of the Steering Committee proceeded to the inauguration.
The terms of reference of the committee is to receive and approve the state Incident Action Plan (IAP) and oversee the Project Coordinating Unit ensure the timely implementation of the project.
The Steering Committee is also responsible for ensuring that financing from CoPREP complements financing from other sources, and are used judiciously. The Commissioner for Health is to give a progress report to the State Exco and the Governor at least twice yearly.
The members of the Steering Committee include the Commissioners of Finance, Information and Water Resources, with Dr Sawyer as secretary.
Other members are the Chief Medical Director, Hospitals Management Board, Dr Doubra Dokumo, the Executive Secretary Bayelsa State Primary Health Care Board, Dr Martins Bekesu, the Executive Secretary, Bayelsa Health Insurance Scheme (BHIS), Dr Zuobemi Agadah and the Director, Public Health, Ministry of Health, Dr Stow Jones.
Also in the Committee are development partners from the WHO, UNICEF, FHI 360 and Corona Management Systems.
A four-member State Project Coordinating Unit was also inaugurated to oversee the day-to-day implementation of the project.
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