Lagos ready to contain virus, says minister

Nigeria’s Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, in Lagos on Sunday said the level of preparedness of Lagos State would help to contain the disease outbreaks in the country.

Ehanire made the comment during a visit to the Federal Central Medical Store, Oshodi and the Lagos Biobank, Yaba.

He said, “I can say that Lagos is very prepared with a high level of readiness and awareness coupled with competent health personnel available. A lot of lessons have been learnt from the Ebola outbreak of 2014, so I’m confident that Lagos is ready. They have the highest volume of air travel, the preparedness in Lagos is more important than anywhere else in the country

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The Minister while responding to the global shortage of protective equipment for medical personnel, said, “We have a good stock here in Nigeria and we have received money from the government to purchase and procure more.”

The Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, on his part said the state government was watching China closely and their way of handling the coronavirus situation

We are ready in Lagos and if anything comes, we have got the facility, trained staff, a robust surveillance system in the state. We are now supporting the Federal Government with staff at the ports, just to ensure that anybody coming to Nigeria through Lagos goes for a thorough screening process and even if they get through the airport, we will still be following them up for 14 days at home if they have travelled from the country that has possible transmission of the virus,” Abayomi said