BY DAYO ADESULU
The Minister of State for Health, Dr Olorunnimbe Mamora has frowned at request by some health care facilities handlers are demanding that patients should bring Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) before they can be treated for COVID-19.
Dr Mamora said if the claim is found to be true, “We will pursue remedial measures for the patient.”
The Honourable Minister of State who blew hot against the claimed practice that some health care facilities are insisting that patients who are reporting for COVID-19 treatment must bring Personal Protection Equipment before they could access treatment appealed to Nigerians to assist to furnish the Presidential Task Force and Federal Ministry of Health with exact culprits, “to enable us to deal with them.”
If it is taking place in our Federal Government Hospitals or in our Tertiary Hospitals or States Hospitals, wherever we will take appropriate action
“If it is taking place in our Federal Government Hospitals or in our Tertiary Hospitals or States Hospitals, wherever we will take appropriate action”, Dr Mamora emphatically declared.
On the Medical Fact-Finding Team despatched to Kano State at height of the unexplained deaths in the State, Dr Olorunnimbe Mamora declared that the Federal Ministry of Health has an interim report.
“We have an interim report. It was to enable us to know the level of engagement with the Kano State Government and the State’s COVID-19 Response Team.”
The Honourable Minister of State for Health also said the interim report got on Kano, will help the Federal Ministry of Health and the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 to determine the level of engagement that should be in place with non-State actors – Faith-based organizations, Civil Society Organizations, etc, even beyond COVID-19″.
On what is being done with the interim report on Kano, Dr Mamora disclosed that “We have assembled enough resources – human health resources and others to help Kano.
Laboratories which were hitherto shut down have been reopened. Even what you called verbal autopsy has been carried out, we have begun to strengthen all facilities on the ground – testing kits, plans and equipment for isolation centres, PPE, ambulances, have been despatched to Kano.”
The Honourable Minister of State for Health further disclosed that the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 would have been to Kano but for the demise of the father of the National Coordinator of the Interventionist body.
