Covid-19: We’re Working on Palliatives – Makinde Tells Oyo People

…says Testing Centre set to come on stream in state 
BY SEGUN ADEBAYO, ABUJA – Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State on Saturday informed residents of the state that his government is working on palliatives to ease the pressure on the people following the partial shutdown of activities as part of the precautionary measures to curtail the spread of Covid-19.
Governor Makinde however, said that the state would need to work on accurate data and design that would ensure the palliatives get into the hands of those who truly need them.
He said that is important that the palliatives to be put in place get to those with genuine needs for them and that they are not cornered by middlemen.
A statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Taiwo Adisa, indicated that Governor Makinde stated these during a phone-in interview programme on Ibadan based Fresh 105.9 FM, as well as a one-hour Tweetchat via his Twitter handle @seyiamakinde on Saturday.
The statement noted that the government had stepped up enlightenment campaigns on Covid-19, while also enforcing measures on the lockdown of activities in the state.

Makinde maintained that as part of measures to contain the spread of the disease in the state, the state government in collaboration with the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, has set up a diagnostic centre to handle testing of samples, adding that the state was only awaiting NCDC endorsement.
He explained that once the centres are certified, it would become easier to test more people, adding that apart from the preventive measures, the state has set up isolation centres, with 4-bed isolation unit in Ogbomoso, 10-bed at Jericho, 4-bed at UCH and 100-bed capacity at Olodo, Ibadan, which will be ready on Thursday.
He noted that the ICU beds in the state currently have ventilators, saying that the state has Disease Surveillance and Notification Officers in all 33 LGAs and 35 LCDAs and that Local Government Caretaker Chairpersons were already involved in enlightenment campaigns and implementation of directives, complementing the state-wide campaign and efforts to prevent Covid-19 in the state.
Governor Makinde, who maintained that the state has ensured that health workers have the required equipment and personal gears, and that wherever it identified gaps, it would immediately plug them, counseled the people of the state to stay safe by following the proper hygienic practices –  washing of hands regularly or using an alcohol-based hand sanitisers and also practising social distancing.
He stated: “I swore an oath to protect the people of Oyo State and I will do that to the best of my ability. People have come to me to render help and I told the individuals that we need to key into whatever the government’s aspirations are. I directed them to meet with the Commissioner for Health. I told them we will appreciate whatever they can put on the table but not to just show off. We are not in for that. We are in to analyse our situation and find a solution that is obtainable and workable.”