NDDC Set To Partner Stakeholders, Fight COVID-19 In Niger Delta

The Acting Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Kemebradikumo Pondei says the Commission is ready to protect the people of the Niger Delta region from the dreaded Coronavirus.

Pondei during an interview at the NDDC headquarters in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital on Wednesday said as an interventionist agency, the Commission would collaborate with other stakeholders in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We have started looking at different isolation points in the nine states of the Niger Delta region. We are interacting with the states to find out what is on the ground and we are taking stock of the ventilators and oxygen in health facilities across the region,” he said.

The NDDC boss added that the agency is working to ensure that the patients are provided with ventilators, oxygen, and essential treatment.

“This morning we found that there are about 500 ventilators in the entire country. We are exploring avenues to see if we could intervene in providing ventilators.

‘There are very few oxygen production plants in the country and some of the existing ones have actually broken down. But the provision of oxygen is key to the treatment.

“We are also looking at the drugs that have been used so far in other climes for treatment, there are some anti-viral drugs that we are trying to make available in a proactive manner,” he said.

Pondei finally urged members of the public to imbibe precautions like social distancing and regular handwashing with soap and water.