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How we really struggle for bed spaces in isolation centres -NCDC

A new 110-bed facility for Isolation Centre, commissioned in Lagos recently Photo: LASG

* Considers change of strategy, treating some patients at home

* 113 Health personnel infected as Nigeria’s cases total 1,932
Isola Moses | ConsumerConnect
In view of the rising cases of COVID-19 pandemic in the country, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has revealed the obvious inadequacy of bed spaces to accommodate COVID-19 patients in isolation centres around the country.

Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, Director-General, NCDC, Thursday, April 30, at the Presidential Task Force briefing on COVID-19 in Abuja, FCT, stated Lagos State is the worst-hit by the challenge of inadequate bed spaces.

Ihekweazu also disclosed that
Kano State and Abuja are equally affected by inadequate bed spaces for Coronavirus patients.

The NCDC Director-General said though there are about 3,500 bed spaces available across Nigeria, they are insufficient.

The situation at the centres leaves the infectious disease control agency to struggle, he stated.

“In response to the question about bed spaces, there is no doubt about that; we are struggling in certain places especially in Lagos.

“To an extent Kano and Abuja too, but the biggest challenge right now is in Lagos where bad spaces are really tight,” he stated.

Ihekweazu added: “Across the country, we have about 3,500 bed spaces identified as available for COVID-19. But in Lagos, we are really struggling.

“So, we are going to keep trying to work with them to make more spaces available and ultimately.”

The NCDC boss said that due to this challenge, there might be need for a change of strategy with regard to treating some patients at home.

“We might have to change our strategy a little bit, and start considering home care in certain circumstances where the person is able to provide a room where a patient can be managed sufficiently, and secondly, we are able to support the care by enabling healthcare workers come to that.

“We will always be honest with Nigerians. We are struggling at the moment.

“We might have to adapt that strategy because of the reality we have faced over the next few days and weeks,” Ihekweazu disclosed. 

Meanwhile, Nigeria has recorded 204 fresh cases of COVID-19 in a day, as the country’s total infections have risen to 1,932.

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), in a tweet via its verified Twitter account, at 11.50p.m. Thursday, April 30, revealed that of the new infections, 80 are in Kano, 45 are in Lagos, while 12 are in Gombe.

Thursday’s 204 new cases are said to be the highest figure reported in a day since the outbreak of COVID-19 virus in the country February 2020.

NCDC also announced that seven more fatalities were recorded, bringing the total number of deaths to 58.

Analysing the numbers, the NCDC said the 204 new cases reported were 80-Kano 45-Lagos, 12-Gombe, 9-Bauchi, 9-Sokoto, 7-Borno, 7-Edo, 6-Rivers, 6-Ogun, 4-FCT, 4-Akwa Ibom, 4-Bayelsa, 3-Kaduna, 2-Oyo, 2-Delta, 2-Nasarawa, 1-Ondo and 1-Kebbi.

In clarifying the earlier assumptions in the public space regarding the accurate number of personnel infected, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, Nigeria’s Honourable Minister for Health, also revealed that 113 health workers have been infected with Coronavirus disease in the course of duty.

The Minister disclosed that the rapid rate of COVID-19 community transmission is a major concern for the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19.

“The over 300 doctors that are infected is not true, there are not so many people in the health sector who are infected,” he said.

“The latest figures we have is that they are about 113 actually.”

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