150 medical personnel deployed for Edo 2020 NSF- Sub-Committee
NSF
By Joy Odigie
Benin, March 14, 2020 (NAN) Prof. Darlington Obaseki, Chairman, Medical Sub-Committee, Local Organising Committee for Edo 2020 National Sports Festival (NSF) says about 150 medical personnel have been deployed to render services during the games.
Obaseki, who is also the Chief Medical Director of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, made this known during a news conference held in Benin on Saturday.
He spoke on the level of preparedness for the festival scheduled to hold from March 22 to April 2.
He said that the 150 medical personnel included, Orthopaedic Surgeons, Anesthetic Physiotherapists, Pharmacists, 45 Paramedics, Nurses and other auxiliary staff.
“We are ready to provide medical coverage for about 11,500 athletes and coaches as well as spectators,’’ Obaseki said.
He said comprehensive medical centres would be mounted at the Games Village, Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium as well as accommodation venues for athletes and coaches.
He said that 30 mobile medical units had been constituted and would be stationed at the different sporting arenas and would be supported with 10 ambulances to go round the different game centres.
Obaseki also said five mobile ambulance carts would be procured for quick retrieval of injured athletes from the field.
Speaking on Coronavirus, the chairman added that there would be continuous health awareness on the need to always wash hands with the soap and water as well as with hand sanitisers that would be provided at the game venues and accommodation centres.
Representative of the Chief Medical Director of Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital, Prof Danny Asogun, said test kits were available at the hospital to test samples for Coronavirus and give results within eight hours.
Asogun said the two samples tested for Coronavirus in the hospital were negative, assuring members of the public not to panic as there was no case of the virus in the state.
Edo Commissioner for Health, Dr Patrick Okundia, said that different health teams were carrying out sensitisation campaigns on Coronavirus and Lassa fever across the state including motor parks on the need to have hand washing points and hand sanitisers.
He said that telephone numbers had also been released to different transportation operators to report suspected cases of both Lassa fever and Coronavirus. (NAN)
OOJ/CHOM/AJA
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Edited by Chioma Ugboma/Adeleye Ajayi