WorldStage Newsonline– The Federal Government says increasing cases of COVID-19 are imposing enormous burden on the nation’s health facilities.
The Minister of State for Health, Sen. Olorunnimbe Mamora, made the disclosure on Monday in Abuja at a briefing by the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19.
He said that the 18,699 active COVID-19 cases were stretching health facilities.
“With the increased number of confirmed cases, the number of active cases has increased.
“As of today, we have 18,699 active cases on treatment both in health facilities and in community, using the treatment protocols.
“Many of the active cases may require care in one of the treatment or isolation centres, thus imposing enormous burden on our facilities,” Mamora said.
He noted that Nigeria had crossed the 100,000 mark for confirmed cases of COVID-19, saying that it showed increase in infection.
According to him, as at Monday, 100,087 cases were confirmed while 80,030 cases had been discharged.
He said that the country had lost 1,358 people to novel coronavirus.
“In the last 24 hours, 1,024 new confirmed cases were recorded in 17 states, with eight deaths.
“The case fatality rate stands at 1.36 per cent.
“So far, we have tested a total of 1,025,560 people with a positivity rate of 9.8 per cent.
“Our testing rate in the last few weeks has increased as we continue to engage states to scale up their case finding and testing,” the minister said.
Mamora said that the country was working to meet a target of testing two million residents within the shortest period.
The minister added that results from tests conducted on prospective National Youth Seevics Corps members confirmed that no part of the country was free of COVID-19.
“We safely and comfortably drew this conclusion because corps members are mobilised from all the states of the country for each of the orientation camps.
“The report that many of those who died reported late for treatment at the approved centres because they were referred late from private facilities is alarming.
“We therefore once again urge healthcare practitioners to promptly send all suspected cases for testing and, when positive, refer them to isolation centres for treatment.
“Attempting to treat suspected or confirmed cases not only exposes the health workers in such a facility to risk of infection but also denies the patient early access to effective treatment in an approved treatment centre,” he said.
Mamora also said that the plan of the Federal Government regarding activation of oxygen availability in the states was on course.
He also said Nigerians should avoid crowding and comply with advisories and guidelines on COVID-19 prevention
HIV, Tuberculosis, others
Mamora has also lamented the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the health sector, citing the neglect it had caused to the care and attention given to HIV, tuberculosis and other ailments.
Mamora pointed out that though some benefits might have come from the pandemic, its negative impact had manifested in the reduced attention given to these dangerous diseases as everyone now focused on getting solutions to COVID-19.
He urged all health practitioners to forward cases of COVID-19 symptoms to approved laboratory centres promptly, in order to avoid unnecessary deaths, given the alarming reports that many of those who died, reported late for treatment at the centres because they were referred late from private facilities.
“We therefore once again seize this opportunity to urge healthcare practitioners to promptly send all suspected cases for testing and when positive, refer them to isolation centres for treatment.
“Attempting to treat suspected or confirmed cases not only exposes the health workers, in such a facility, to risk of infection but also denies the patient early access to effective treatment in an approved treatment centre,” he said.
Mamora further stated that the plan of the Federal Government to make oxygen available in the states was on course, as immediate repairs of non-functional oxygen plants had begun.
He also noted that results from tests conducted on prospective NYSC members had incontrovertibly, confirmed that no part of the country was free of COVID-19 disease.
“We safely and comfortably draw this conclusion because corps members are mobilised from all the states of the country for each of the orientation camps,” he said.
