FG unveils comprehensive COVID-19 treatment centre in Abuja

In its resolve to totally eradicate Coronavirus in the country, the Federal Government, on Tuesday, unveiled a fully comprehensive COVID-19 treatment centre, professionally designed and equipped and repurposed to help Nigeria contain the dreaded virus.

Commissioning the facility in Abuja, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, commended the private sector and in particular the Sahara Energy Group and THISDAY Media & Technology Group for donating the THISDAY Dome as Temporary Treatment & Isolation Centre which according to him would not just add to the number of available bed spaces, but save the Nigerian health sector the anxiety of looming shortages.

“It is with both delight and relief that I come here today and address this gathering of eminent stakeholders in the Nigerian Health sector, who have demonstrated such extraordinary commitments in joining hands with Government to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, in what can actually be likened to nothing less than a war.

“This handing over ceremony of the THISDAY DOME Treatment and Isolation Centre to the Federal Ministry of Health and the Federal Capital Territory Administration is a landmark achievement in collaborations between public and private sectors to fight a common enemy and rescue our country and people from the grip of the raving coronavirus disease.

“This is a fully comprehensive treatment centre, professionally designed and equipped and repurposed to meet the pressing demands of the day.

This facility was built to the highest quality standards of Infectious Disease protocols, by well experienced hands. I wish to extend my profound gratitude to the Chairman and members of the CACOVID-19 group.

The Chair and my colleagues of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 are thankful for this consideration.

We recognise the Chief Executive Officer of Sahara Energy Group, the Chairman THISDAY Media & Technology Group and other distinguished partners, who contributed to the success of today’s event,” Mustapha said.

The treatment centre comes with the following: Sahara Foundation Wards and ICU Centre complete with Ventilators, X- Ray and Dialysis; THISDAY 54gene Testing Mobile Lab complete with reagents – with scalable 200 – 1000 tests per day;

THISDAY 98 – Room Hotel & Conference Centre next door for medical staff for 6 months; CBN Medical Grant in direct support to FMoH and FCDA for day to day management of the Isolation Centre and an industrial grade medical incinerator.

Also speaking, the Governor Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, however revealed that as part efforts to cushion the effects of COVID-19 on the Nigerian economy, the CBN has implemented several initiatives such as the N50 billion intervention facility for small and medium scale enterprises affected by COVID-19; in addition to the N1 trillion facility for firms operating in the agriculture and manufacturing sectors.

He said: “We are also working with financial institutions to enable the continuous flow of credit to viable businesses, while putting in place provisions such as moratoriums and restructuring of existing loans under CBN intervention funds that have been provided to businesses.

These measures are intended to cushion the effects of the slowdown in economic activity on businesses, while putting them in better stead to help resuscitate economic activity in the country. “

Speaking further, Emefiele maintained that Nigeria’s ability to restore the country’s economy growth is dependent on how the public health crisis brought on by COVID-19 is being addressed even as he challenged Nigerian scientists home and in the diaspora to go back to their laboratories and develop a Nigerian vaccine.

Furthermore, in order to encourage greater research and development in Nigeria of drugs and vaccines that would help prevent the spread of the virus, Emefiele disclosed that the CBN is developing a framework under which grants and long term facilities will be provided to researchers, science institutions and biotechnology firms to develop the Nigerian Vaccine.

“Needless to state that if we are to wait for foreign countries to develop their own vaccines, we will be the last in the queue to receive curative remedies for our teeming population.

“The Central Bank of Nigeria today challenges Nigerian scientists at home and in the diaspora to go back to their laboratories and develop a Nigerian vaccine.

“Once validated by the Health Authorities, the CBN will step in and do the needful for the sake of over 200 million Nigerians now confronted by COVID-19.

“Our inability to accurately predict the extent to which the coronavirus could spread, and how long it would last, requires that we build sufficient capacity within our health system in order to contain the spread of the virus, state by state, city by city and preserve the lives of vulnerable Nigerians.

This requires that we all come together to support the work of the Presidential Task Force in its determination to save lives and stem the pandemic.

“It is in this regard that I would like to commend the Nigerian private sector, who have come together under the Coalition against COVID-19 (CA -COVID) to support the government, by raising funds to procure needed Isolation Centres, medical equipment, etc. So far, the CA-COVlD-19 has raised up to N27 Billion to fund these initiatives. These donations are being used to build well equipped isolation centres across the 36 states of the federation.

“The THISDAY Dome Testing, Tracing and Treatment Centre being launched today represents a part of the support being provided by the CA COVID alliance.

These measures will result in the addition of close to 4,000 hospital beds across the country and will serve as a significant boost towards our efforts at containing the spread of COVlD-19. So, CACOVID has equipped and handed over Isolation Centres in Rivers, Enugu, Kwara, Ondo, and Borno states.

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“It is expected that all other Isolation Centres will be handed over in other states of the country by May 23, 2020.”

On his part, the FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Bello, said that with the facility beingcommissioned for use, the FCT has almost reached the target of 1000 bed spaces.

Speaking further, he expressed optimism that in the coming weeks considering the level of support received from the private sector, the pandemic will be contained in Nigeria.

“With this facility, the FCT has almost reached the target of 1000 bed spaces. Within the FCT we have in existence, three treatment isolation centres, one of which was just handed over to us yesterday at Idu boasting of a capacity for 500 beds. With your support in the next coming weeks we will be done with the pandemic.”