The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has appealed to the residents of the territory to take greater responsibility for their personal health and safety to avoid contracting the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
The FCTA Permanent Secretary, Mr. Olusade Adesola, made the appeal while addressing newsmen during an inspection of the three operational COVID-19 Centres in FCT, on Sunday in Abuja.
Adesola disclosed that there were about 42 patients currently on admission at Gwagwalada treatment centre and 46 patients at the ThisDay Dome.
He said that FCT might be compelled to reopen all closed COVID-19 isolation and treatment centres, in case of upsurge in number of confirmed cases in the territory.
He said there were no patients at the Idu Centre and others initially closed down, but with the resurgence of the pandemic, they had been reopened.
“They are centres we would not have wanted to exist in the first place, but as fate has it, they are existing. We are quite impressed with the reports we get from them.
“Ordinarily, we would not have wanted to reopen them, but if there is upsurge, we will be compelled to reopen them.
“The Gwagwalada Isolation Centre is fully functional and operational; it has become a centre of excellence and reference point.
“However, at Idu Treatment and Isolation Centre, because we were fortunate to have a reduction up to zero level in FCT, at one time we no longer had patients there.
“But now, with the resurgence (second wave of COVID-19) we have to be prepared to restore the place to be operational.
“It’s our prayers that we don’t need to go beyond what we have to ensure that things are going on well, our people who have been highly sensitised on the need to take responsibility for their health and safety will do that.
“And at the ThisDay Dome, we met with the staff and everybody working. So we are happy with the reports we are getting from all the centres.
“It has been one good report after the other, of courteous attention, and respect of dignity for the patients. So far, we are good.”
The permanent secretary assured that the FCTA was making all efforts to address all issues necessary to keep the place operational.
He noted that “COVID-19 was no respecter of any person, as the high and lows are affected by the pandemic, so we encourage everybody to be more responsible.
“We all know our health status, so if you have higher health risk, you need to take greater precautions, so that you would not find yourself battling with the health situation imposed by the COVID-19.” (NAN)
