COVID-19: Lalong says Plateau has capacity to handle infected patients

Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau state has said that his government has the capacity to handle coronavirus infected patients should there be any case in the state. 

Gov. Lalong made this known on Monday while inspecting isolation facilities in Jos, to ascertain the state’s readiness in handling coronavirus cases in the event of any confirmed incident.

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The governor said the state has set aside three isolation centres, namely at the Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH), the Plateau Public Health Emergency Centre and the Bingham University Teaching Hospital, Jos.

At the isolation centres, Gov. Lalong inspected the laboratory for production of hand sanitizers, where he was told that they have the capacity to meet the demands of the state and beyond. 

At the isolation unit, he was informed that the facility has capacity for 20 patients at a time with room for expansion, prompting the governor to immediately direct for the acquisition of four additional ventilators to increase the capacity of the isolation centres. 

At the Plateau Health Emergency Centre, the governor was elated when he was shown the tracking capacity, covering the 17 local government areas of the state. 

However speaking with journalists after the inspection, Gov. Lalong said that “we thank God that so far, we do not have any confirmed case in Plateau state, yet we have to prepare ahead looking at what is happening in other states and outside the country.

“We shall do everything possible to ramp up our capacity to respond effectively as we did with Ebola and with Lassa fever which we have contained very well.”