… As DG NCDC affirms confidence in covid -19 vaccine
Chief Medical Director, Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital Abakaliki, Dr Emeka Onwe, Tuesday, revealed how they lost about 7 patients and some staff of the hospital to the coronavirus disease, between December 2020- March 2021
Onwe, made the disclosure in Abakaliki, during the commissioning of a molecular Laboratory built for the hospital by the Nigerian Center for Disease control, (NCDC).
He appealed to NCDC to upgrade the virology centre in the hospital constructed by the state government to Institute of Viral Study, Research, Treatment and Control to serve the state, South-East and the South- South effectively during outbreak of pandemic.
He said: “It is worth of note that during the first phase of COVID-19, we successfully managed some confirmed positive cases even though unfortunately some lives were lost due to late presentation to the hospital.
“We had sad event where we lost some of our staff to COVID-19 but sir, those that died of COVID- 19, did not contract the disease from the hospital and they presented late”.
“Among our data include the following summary of cases from December 2020 to March 2021. We have total number of admission 102, two positive cases that are alive, 54 total negative cases that are alive, deaths with positive tests 5, deaths with negative tests 17
“We are appealing that this centre having played this role in serving the hospital community, Ebonyi State government, South-East and South- South when the need arose we are appealing if this place will be converted to regional centre, we will be very happy.”
DG, NCDC, Chikwe Ihekweazu, in an interview with journalists shortly after commissioning the molecular laboratory, affirmed that no medical intervention in the world that can save more than the COVID-19 vaccine, adding that he has confidence in the vaccine.
He said the Center’s role is not only to respond to the current outbreak but to make sure that the nation is stronger together as a country to respond to future outbreak.
“Today, Nigerian Center for Disease Control is really privileged to hand over the new Molecular Lab built in the Alex Ekwueme Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki.
“This is part of the federal government’s programme as a result of the Covid 19 outbreak, to support the country so that we will never find ourselves in this type of situation again.
“Like I have said severally, our role is not only to respond to the current outbreak but to make sure that we are stronger together as a country to respond to future outbreak. This is what led to the programme that we are carrying out across the country to strengthen our health security in infrastructure, this is one example.
“No medical intervention in the world that can save more than the vaccine and we are confident right now of the vaccine we are introduced to. I have taken mine about two weeks ago. Every member of staff in Ncdc havs taken the vaccine. We are confident that the vaccine will be a game changer as we respond to this outbreak in Nigeria.
“Thanks to the management of AE FUTHA, all our partners have contributed well to it. This facility is well equipped to manage the more common infectious disease threat in Nigeria. But we really planned on expanding this, not only for diagnostic purposes. This facility today and the management staff and everybody working here will provide an incredible resource for Ebonyi state, in terms of research, capacity building and in terms of really being an attraction for other projects to come to Abakaliki”, he stated