The Lagos State government has fully activated 10 COVID-19 Oxygen Treatment and Sample Collection centres.
As part of efforts to mitigate the effect of the third wave of the pandemic in the state, the government has also activated 20 Local Government Area (LGA) based sample collection sites.
The Commissioner for Health in Lagos, Professor Akin Abayomi, who disclosed this on Thursday while reviewing reports of operations at the centres said they were activated through the Incident Command Structure of the government.
He stated that the centres which were established during the first and second waves of the pandemic have been rejigged and reinvigorated to provide swift oxygen therapy to residents who require it and easy access to COVID-19 testing for people who needed to test for the infection.
Abayomi explained that the oxygen treatment and sample collection centres were established as dual-purpose facilities and strategically located in 10 local government areas with a high burden of COVID-19 infection cases, to provide oxygen support and serve as COVID sample collection base to residents.
“The 20 Local Government Area (LGA) Based COVID-19 Sample Collection Sites are community-based sites operated by the medical officers of health in each of the 20 LGAs and supervised by the Lagos State Primary Health Care Board, in collaboration with the Lagos State Biobank to increase the ease of access of residents to testing,” he was quoted as saying in a statement by the spokesman for the ministry, Tunbosun Ogunbanwo.
“The reactivation of these centres and sites are part of the strategies adopted in response to the recent increase in COVID-19 infection occasioned by the third wave of new strains.
“The Oxygen Treatment Centres will support patients with oxygen while the LGA based sample collection sites will service patients with any of the COVID-19 symptoms or who are exposed to a confirmed COVID-19 case.”
The commissioner said the government was doing all within its powers to ramp up testing and improve its management of COVID-19 cases by providing residents with support and seamless access to quality and efficient COVID-19 care services, to lower the curve of the third wave and prevent the infection from further spreading.
He urged those who would be visiting the centres to observe and adhere strictly to the use of face masks, social distancing, and hand hygiene, as part of the protocols to prevent the spread of the infection at the sites.
Abayomi said officials at the sites have been instructed to ensure full compliance to COVID-19 protocols.
