Federal Government has advised medical facilities in the country to stop rejecting patients, especially emergency cases.
Osagie Ehanire, Minister of Health, said this on Monday at the Presidential Taskforce (PTF) briefing on COVID-19 in Abuja.
He noted that it is unethical not to attend to persons in distress, adding that any untreated infected persons puts a strain on the system.
The minister also stated that the ministry was strengthening its support for Kano State Ministry of Health with service delivery and training in consultation with the state governor.
Ehanire added;
The setbacks reported in routine hospital service delivery in Kano state are being addressed by line experts from the ministry, whether from the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, or the Department of Family Health.
A Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH) pathologist is also participating in the investigation of the unexplained deaths in Kano. The team shall be reinforced according to needs expressed by the state government to strengthen its healthcare structure.
The minister explained that;
The ministry had also mobilised additional 20 Rapid Response Teams (RRT) across Kano state to reach people who need to be tested for the virus.
41 Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) staff and 17 World Health Organisation (WHO) staff are deployed at the moment to support the Kano response.
With support of partners, 2 facilities are funded per Kano LGA; and will be setting up one sample collection centre per LGA.
He implored Nigerians to be extra vigilant and complaint with safety guidelines even as a new week begins as well as the gradual easing of the lockdown in Lagos, Ogun and FCT.
Ehanire stressed that;
Since our COVID-19 statistics are of considerable concern, attention has also been drawn to the observation that countries who eased or lifted restrictions, suffered an increase in new cases.
Although our projection already features increasing number of cases, even with the lockdown, I believe that redoubling our efforts to adhere to government directives, can keep figures within control range of the COVID-19.
The minister said there is now a community transmission mode and the ministry’s strategy is to take all persons who tested positive into isolation.
He explained that whether the patients have symptoms of Coronavirus or not, they will be isolated so they don’t risk infecting others, who might be more vulnerable to other diseases.
Ehanire noted that Nigerians needed to protect, not only themselves, but each other and their loved ones.
