….. As State Assures of Availability of Oxygen for COVID19 Care
Lagos State Government has been commended for the excellent management of COVID19 positive cases and the quality health care being offered at the Infectious Disease Hospital Isolation Centre, Yaba.
The commendation which came from the testimonies of patients and relatives of patients receiving care at the Yaba Isolation Centre has since gone viral on social media and some other broadcast media platforms attesting to the robust response strategy of the State government against the global pandemic.
In their testimonies aired on different platforms, the patients and relatives shared experiences on care received at the facility and applauded the medical team for their professionalism.
A female COVID19 patient who spoke with TVC’s Adedoja Salam in an exclusive report said she was impressed by the facility put together by the Lagos State government for the treatment of cases at the Yaba Isolation centre. While noting that health workers at the facility are under enormous pressure due to the increase number of patients at the centre, She said she would volunteer to help clean the facility after being discharged.
In her words: “I am quite impressed and this place is free. And then I get here and there is a whole system that works; it is hard to run a shop like this but it works – and this is Nigeria. I want to come back here and spend a day and clean the floor because I didn’t die. Imagine if a hundred people spends two hours to help clean the floors, to help change the sheets, it will ease the burden because these guys are under enormous pressure”.
Another female patient captured in TVC’s exclusive report thanked the Lagos State Government, the State Commissioner for Health, Professor Akin Abayomi and the team of medical professionals for the putting up and managing the Yaba Isolation facility so well.
“I came in a very bad shape, but I am well now. So I want to let the people know and for everybody to be aware that COVID-19 is very real. Each day, we escape by His mercies. If not for the hands of God, we will not be here today but because of this, we should never stop wearing our masks whether in the mosque, market or public places. We should always endeavour to do so.
“So, I want to thank the Lagos State Government, the Honourable Commissioner for Health for everything being put up at this health care facility. For the nurses, the medical team and everybody working as a team, I want to thank them for the care giving to every one of us”, she said.
Friends and relatives of some patients who received care at the Yaba Isolation Centre also took to some social media platforms to commend the excellent management of cases at the facility.
One of such testimonies currently circulating on WhatsApp from an anonymous source claimed a relative received live saving treatment from the Yaba Isolation Centre. Apparently reacting to an allegation of unprofessionalism at the centre, the source confirmed that the relative received excellent care and has since been discharged.
“Not true. A very close person to me just got a lifesaving treatment from the Isolation Centre, Yaba. Kudos to them. He was rushed there on New Year’s Eve and got discharged three days ago after the medical team gave him one of the best care ever.
“Thanks to them. I do not know why she is broadcasting this but those professionals putting their lives at risk daily deserve better than this propaganda. And the state government is trying on treating patients at the Yaba COVID-19 Isolation Centre. We got to three locations before we were offered a bed space. The facilities are overstretched. And by the way we did not pay for oxygen”, the source said.
“I know of someone who was admitted to IDH two days ago. There were a ton of things required before admission but she was given two nylon bags full free. She confirmed oxygen was freely available and bed space was on availability basis with preference for most critical and elderly people.
“According to her, the staff her certainly overwhelmed but coping. Some relatives of patients were very agitated and so were on the nerves of the staff. Spoke to my friend this morning and she confirmed that they are being well looked after. In her case, she is stable and doesn’t require oxygen nor ventilation, might be most likely discharged tomorrow”, another anonymous source on WhatsApp said.
The Lagos State Government has however confirmed the availability of oxygen for COVID19 care management at Lagos isolation facilities and activated triage and oxygen centres located in strategic areas of the State.
Commissioner who disclosed this recently explained that demand for oxygen to treat COVID-19 patients as increased significantly because majority of patients currently on admission at the State isolation centres are largely depending on oxygen.
“This has resulted in an escalating and alarming demand for oxygen in our facilities and this is why we deployed and activated an Oxygen Plant within the premises of the Infectious Diseases Hospital (IDH), Yaba to provide swift support to COVID19 patients who require oxygen therapy”, Abayomi said.
While noting that another oxygen plant would soon be activated at the Gbagada General Hospital, the Commissioner disclosed that the State is currently setting up ten triage and oxygen therapy centres in local government areas with high burden of COVID19 cases to provide swift emergency oxygen therapy and support to residents who require it.
“With the construction and decentralization of the Triage and Oxygen Therapy Centres, citizens requiring oxygen therapy would not have to travel a distance to Mainland Infectious Disease Hospital to access care”, he said.
The Commissioner added that the operation of the oxygen plant at Yaba Isolation Centre will significantly make oxygen available for COVID19 patients and supply about 300 cylinders per day and six cylinders per hour for use of patients admitted at the isolation facility.
“The oxygen plant facility could not have come at a better time than now, when the State is recording an increase in the number of people presenting with difficulty in breathing and requiring urgent oxygen therapy”, he added.
