COVID-19: ABUTH Zaria establishes isolation centre, sensitises staff

Centre

By Mustapha Yauri

Zaria (Kaduna State), March 5, 2020 (NAN) The Ahmadu Bello Teaching Hospital Zaria (ABUTH), says it has established an Isolation Centre for the management of coronavirus following confirmation of a single case of the disease in the country.

Prof. Hamidu Umdagas, Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the hospital, made the disclosure at a sensitisation exercise organised by the Department of Community Medicine of the hospital, on Thursday in Zaria.

Umdagas said the workshop was part of deliberate attempt by the hospital to put steps ahead of the disease (COVID-19) which pose global health concern.

“To tell you how prepared we are, when the first patient came with Lassa fever into ABUTH we did not have a single isolation room for the patients.

“We quickly use our meager resources to have a triage room and some few rooms for isolation of such patients, as we speak today those rooms are available because we do not have any Lassa fever patient.

“With that I can say we are prepared even if we have cases of COVID-19 we can use the rooms as isolation centers for such cases.

“I hope the disease (COVID-19) should not come to ABUTH but even if comes we are ready and prepared to curtail the spread of the virus and manage the patient,’’ he said.

Umdagas said what was presented by the resource person on the disease was useful to both the public and physicians.

He noted that with what has been explained on the disease, the hospital would be able to take care of the COVID virus when it occurs.

The CMD commended Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and Kaduna state Government for their support to the hospital, adding that the hospital received kits and other equipment from NCDC for a better response against Lassa fever and other epidemics.

Umdagas, however debunked  insinuations that the facility lacks personal protective equipments.

“As at last week, we got a coaster load of equipment from the NCDC. I am surprised someone is saying here there are no gloves and face masks; which is not true.

`I spoke with NCDC Boss on Feb. 26 and by Feb. 27, he had to send a coaster bus and the coaster bus brought items and they are in the store.

“If one says such items are not available I think it is a wrong impression, if you have any problem with that quickly get to EPID Response Team, ’’ he said.

Also speaking, Dr Aisha Abubakar, Consultant and Public Health Physician, Department of Community Medicine, urged Nigerians to take care of their health,  maintain hand and respiratory hygiene as part of the protection against COVID-19. (NAN)

AM/JPE/RSA

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Edited by Joseph Edeh/Rabiu Sani Ali

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