Stay Off COVID-19 Patients – Oyo Govt Warns Private Clinics

BY SEGUN ADEBAYO – Disturbed by the increasing wave of Coronavirus cases in the State, the Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) and the COVID-19 Technical Task Force in Oyo State has warned medical personnel against managing COVID-19 cases in their private health facilities.

“No private health facility in Oyo state has been licensed to manage COVID-19 patients. Strict adherence to the laid down infection prevention and control measures will be enforced by the EOC at any private health facility,” a statement by the Oyo state government cautioned

Signed by Mr Taiwo Adisa, the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Seyi Makinde, the statement targeted Chief Executive Officers, Chief Operating Officers and Managers of private health facilities in Ibadan, Oyo state.

With support coming from the state’s COVID-19 Technical Task Force led by Professor Temitope Alonge, the statement said recent rising cases of COVID-19 in the state are being linked to the pandemic management by some private healthcare providers.

“I wish to inform you that there are reports of an increase in the number of healthcare workers who have contracted coronavirus infection at various healthcare facilities”, Alonge said.

The Task Force boss warned health workers to comply strictly with the directive as government could not afford any depletion in the State healthcare workforce, occasioned by ill health due to coronavirus infections.

Disclosing that there were 30 centres approved for the purpose of testing samples across the State, including the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, Prof Alonge said all suspected cases of COVID-19 infection should be referred to the centres for testing, which is free for both symptomatic and suspected cases.