Kogi restates commitment to COVID-19 fight despite reservations

Kogi state Commissioner of Health, Dr. Saka Audu, has appealed to the people for calm with the assurance that the government remains committed to fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, irrespective of certain reservations it has over the handling of the scourge in Nigeria.

In a press statement signed by the commissioner and made available to newsmen on Thursday, the state government allayed the fears that the public may have, dismissing the notion that the government is not inclined towards testing for the virus.

To buttress his claim, Dr. Audu explained that the government has procured over 5, 000 test kits worth several millions of naira, pointing out that the present administration has never been known in the past to be complacent with the lives of the people and will not be found wanting at such a critical time like this.

He disclosed that after the initial wave of testing, the ministry received a professional advice from laboratory scientists of the urgent need to install a biosafety cabinet for their own safety, even if all those who have been tested so far returned negative.

“Our duty is to protect the lives of everyone including our health workers, thus necessitating our temporary suspension of testing for three days till the requested biosafety cabinet was provided. 

“We are happy to inform you that it has now been installed and testing will resume shortly.

“We also intend to call the Association of Resident Doctors, Federal Medical Centre, Lokoja, to a meeting and discuss all their grievances. 

“We have no reason to put their lives (or any other cadre of health workers at risk, while they help save lives in this trying time, more so that I consider them as colleagues,” the commissioner assured.

As part of its commitment to the fight against the spread of the pandemic, the state government despite limited available resources has been supplying Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and other materials to the Federal Medical Centre, Lokoja, including providing an isolation tent at the hospital.

“We have a robust relationship with the management of this great health institution and we intend to sustain the cooperation and collaboration,” he stated.

The commissioner, who also revealed that the administration of Governor Yahaya Bello has always treated the medical facility like a state owned facility, expressing confidence that all differences will be resolved in no time for the good of the people of Kogi state.

He therefore, assured the public that the Governor Bello, will continue to place health as a priority.

“Despite the pandemic and dwindling fortunes of all states in the country, construction and equipping of health facilities worth billions of naira are ongoing across the state in the three senatorial districts. 

“This is a pointer to the fact that we intend to revamp the health sector. Everyone can attest to the fact that the rot in the health sector has been exposed by coronavirus across the country. 

“It is therefore, our resolve to make sure that eventually, people will have access to quality and affordable healthcare services that they can be proud of,” he stated.