The Federal Government has dispatched a ministerial team comprising of top officials of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and Department of Hospital Services of the Federal Ministry of Health to Kogi and Cross River State, which are yet to officially record any Covid-19 case.
The visit is to ensure that the two states are fully prepared to halt the spread of the Covid-19 if they eventually have cases.
The Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire, disclosed this at the media briefing organized by the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on Covid-19 in Abuja on Thursday.
“The Ministerial team of FMoH left en route to Lokoja today to work with the Kogi State government. It includes officials of NCDC and department of Hospital Services of the Ministry of Health.
“They will ensure that the state has adequate testing capacity and shall also advocate for the engagement of traditional rulers and community leaders in surveillance efforts of the State.
“I appreciate the collaboration promised by His Excellency the Governor of Kogi.
“A similar team will also travel to Cross River State for the same purpose,” the Minister said.
Ehanire, however, appealed to state governments across the country to put in place at least 300 bed-space facilities for Covid-19 isolation and treatment.
“I shall here also request all states to embark on preparing at least 300 bed spaces for COVID-19 isolation and treatment.
“As testing is scaled up and more persons with COVID-19 infection are identified, it is necessary that they are safely and securely isolated and treated with dignity until they test negative, to break our chain of transmission,” he added.
