How we are treating COVID-19 patients in Ekiti —Health Commissioner

In this interview by ‘YOMI AYELESO , the Ekiti state commissioner for Health, Dr Mojisola Yaya-Kolade explains the various efforts of the government in containing the spread of the coronavirus pandemic in the state.

 At present, there are nine active cases of covid-19 in the state. What is the government doing to stop the further spread of the virus?

The containment efforts have started from the get go when we had our first case. You remember our governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi was one of the few governors to first close the borders and put curfew. Until the pregnant woman came into the state through illegal means, I say illegal because she came in the Night, she got to Ekiti around 6am. If she did not came, these cases would not have been here now. After she came in, the government started tightening the borders and I can say all our 14 borders are being tightened now and community leaders are already involved, that anybody that comes in, they should let the ministry officials be aware. I think this is working because we have so many people that have been turned back from entering the state.

 

Another important aspect of efforts in containing the virus is contact tracing. How far have you gone on this aspect especially as regards the five active cases?

We are doing that and for this current cases, we have 58 persons. 56 have been seen and we have taken samples from these 56 people. You know contact tracing is ongoing and we are expecting their results.

 

What is the capacity of the Isolation centre in the state and does the government has the intention of having more isolation centres ?

Don’t forget we have a standard isolation centre at Oba Adejuyigbe Hospital that we are using at the moment. But the government has plan to increase and as I speak with you now, we have extra 30 bed space in our isolation centre. In total, Ekiti has a capacity of admitting 40 patients as of today.

 

Stakeholders are been clamoring for establishment of more testing centres which will further help the situation at hand in terms of testing more people. Is the government looking at the possibility of having a testing centre in Ekiti?

I can answer you in affirmative that, the government is planning to have one. We are looking forward to the federal government through the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control(NCDC) We are not just waiting , the state on its own is working towards increasing the testing capability of the state. That is what I can say on that for now.

 

No doubt, our health officials must be provided with the necessary Personal Protective Equipment(PPE) and also monetary motivation at this crucial period. What is the state government doing in this regard?

We have been providing the necessary equipment but the confusion people are having and I want to explain that to you. It is not every health workers that need to put on the whole gown. You don’t  need the whole gown to see every patient but there is something called universal precaution ; you put on your face mask, your glove and if you are going to do more, you use your goggles. Not every health worker must use the whole gown because there is limited time you put on the full PPE for your own safety. So everything that is required, we have it. I cannot talk about hazard allowance but for the health care officials at the isolation centre, they are being compensated.

 

There is compulsory use of face masks now in the state but there is this confusion  about the acceptable and healthy ones. Can you talk more on this?

I want to say people must comply with the directive but people must keep their face masks clean. They should have at least two so that people can watch and use again. You don’t use detergents that are harsh so that you don’t cause another damage to yourself. Ensure you watch thoroughly and dry it.

 

How is the treatment of the patients look like at the Isolation center knowing full there is no globally acceptable vaccine for coronavirus at the moment?

You know there is no definitive treatment right now. But there are investigational drugs and these drugs, there are some papers that say it is well working, it is effective and good. I will rather treat my patients with investigational drugs for them to be better than watch my patients deteriorate and get sicker, as a doctor, that is my prerogative. As the Health commissioner in Ekiti state, that is what I propose and that is what we have doing and fortunately for us, people are getting better. Don’t forget we have discharged two persons and even people in admission now are being treated and they are getting better. We are waiting for them to turn negative. I will rather treat them and get them better than watch the people rushing to keep them on respirator. I don’t believe that is good in my own opinion but some other people might disagree with me. We are using chloroquine, we are also supporting their immunity with zinc to boost their immunity. We are also treating them symptomatically, that is if you have headache, we treat, if you have temperature issue, we treat as well. We are using the standard investigational drugs and they are not killing anybody. That is what a good physician will look at.

 

What is your message to the people of the state as the battle against the pandemic continues?

I want to tell people that prevention is better than cure. There should be no need in panicking, no need for anxiety, even with the new cases, we don’t have the community spread in the state. People must continue to watch their hands under running water for 20 to 30 seconds , sneezing into tissue and disposing properly, watching hands after touching dirty objects. Maintaining social distancing and anybody that is sick , should not come to the hospital because we have the emergency numbers, people should call it to alert the health officials. People should also give accurate information about their history, truth is better than deceit this period.

 

 

YOU SHOULD NOT MISS THESE HEADLINES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE

Buy and read digital replicas of your TRIBUNE titles by subscribing through E-VENDING

COVID-19: Fears Spread As North-West Records More Deaths
A huge harvest of deaths in North West states is spreading fear across other states in the country as COVID-19 continues its ravage. Reports from Jigawa, Sokoto, Zamfara, Katsina and Kano states have continued to reveal daily unexplained deaths in scores, fuelling fears that COVID-19 might be responsible for many of them… Read full story

Travel Ban: ‘Infiltrators Will Be Sent Back Home, Won’t Be Allowed To Escape’ •Afenifere, Akintoye react •Human-animal transportation: Meat consumers in great danger —Health experts
THE security situation in Lagos State is reportedly being reviewed following the incessant influx of youths from the Northern part of the country into the state, despite the ban on inter-state movement, with the police saying they have designed new ways of stopping the violators… Read full story

Another 42 Coronavirus Patients Discharged After Testing Negative In Lagos
Lagos State governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Friday announced that 42 more coronavirus patients have been discharged from various isolation centres in the state, saying the patients comprised 22 males and 20 females, all Nigerians… Read full story

Supreme Court Judgment Has Strengthened My Faith In Nigeria, Says Senator Kalu
Senate Chief Whip, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, whose conviction for alleged financial sleaze was quashed by the apex court on Friday has said the judgment has strengthened his faith in the country and its judicial system. Senator Kalu in a statement he personally signed said the events of the past five months has enriched… Read full story

How Awo Would Have Tackled Nigeria’s Current Crises —Associates •Adebanjo, Akintoye, Okurounmu speak on 33 years without sage
AS family, friends, associates and Nigerians worldwide mark 33 years of the transition of the sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, today, some of his associates have looked at the current travails the country faces, declaring that an Awo leadership would have made a positive difference… Read full story

COVID-19: States’ Treatment Centres Running Out Of Bed Spaces ― PTF
The Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 has alerted that treatment centres in states of the federation are running out of bed spaces as more confirmed cases of the disease manifest around the country. The chairman of the task force and Secretary to Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr Boss Mustapha, who revealed… Read full story

UPDATE: COVID-19 Cases To Reach 120,000 In Lagos By July ― Health Commissioner
Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof Akin Abayomi has projected an alarming surge into the number of COVID-19 cases in the state between July and August of this year. According to him, the number of cases from the disease in the state might hit 120, 000 as the virus is expected to reach its peak between… Read full story

Coronavirus Spreading Through Men’s Semen, Remote ― Experts
Nigerian experts have explained why it is remotely impossible for coronavirus, the germs that cause COVID-19 infection, to be sexually transmitted even as Chinese doctors warned that coronavirus can persist in men’s semen even after they have begun to recover… Read full story

PHOTOS: Two Die As Fuel Tanker Goes Up In Flames, Razes Shops, Cars In Ibadan
No fewer than two persons died when a fuel-laden tanker went up in flames at Moniya area of Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, on Friday. The tanker conveying diesel lost control while descending the slope beside a filling station at Moniya, crushing a vehicle travelling to Ogbomoso… Read full story

Ex-Lagos Dep Gov, Other Returnees From UK Stranded At Lagos Airport, Threaten To Leave Without Quarantine
The 253 Nigerians who were flown into Nigeria from the United Kingdom through the Murtala Mohammed Airport, Lagos, were neglected for hours by the Federal Government on Friday. For over six hours, they were left under the sun at the tarmac, waiting for the aircraft that was expected be dispatched by the foreign… Read full story

Ogun Extends Lockdown By Another One Week
Ogun State government has extended the lockdown order in the state by another one week due to increase in the number of confirmed cases of coronavirus in the state. Governor Dapo Abiodun, while addressing newsmen on the activities of his administration in curbing further spread of COVID-19 pandemic… Read full story

British Airways Bringing Nigerian Returnees Insisted On Landing In Lagos, Says Minister
Foreign Affairs Minister, Geoffrey Onyeama, has said Nigeria was helpless in the deal it reached with the British Airways for the evacuation of Nigerian nationals from the United Kingdom. He made the revelation on Friday at the daily media briefing by the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19… Read full story