Tuesday, March 23, 2020
By Ijendu Iheaka
Abia government’s claims that it has prepared three hospitals for management of Coronavirus infections in the state shows that the hospitals have nothing showing preparedness.
Abia Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu on March 21 told newsmen in Umuahia that the state had created two isolation centres at Abia State University Teaching Hospital (ABSUTH) and Abia Specialist and Diagnostics Centre, Amaachara, Umuahia.
He said while the two centres would cater for infected persons in Abia Central and Abia South Senatorial Districts, a third Centre to be sited in a yet unnamed place would take care of Abia North zone.
Checks by this Correspondent at the ABSUTH showed that there had been no preparation made in the place to cater for persons that may be infected by the disease in Abia.
The CMD, Dr Awah Offiah when contacted in ABSUTH’s premises to know if he would receive this reporter told NAN on phone that he cannot talk on some issues as he is a civil servant.
However, a source in the school who spoke to this Correspondent under anonymity said there is only one room set out for some special emergency purposes in the school which may be used for the disease.
“You can see with your eyes that there is nothing in this ABSUTH to show it has been prepared to take in coronavirus cases.
“We do not even have hand sanitizers around except the ones the institution prepared and they are selling them to even every department of the hospital to recover the money used to make it.
“We do not even have a single packet of common paracetamol that has been brought in here for that purpose since the announcement last week”, she said.
This site reports that from the gate to departmental office entrances in the teaching hospital, non displayed any hand washing materials or sanitizers.
This Correspondent called on Dr Jamike Enwereji, CMD, Abia Specialist and Diagnostics Centre, Amaachara but he redirected this reporter to the institution’s PRO, Carol Igbokwe.
Igbokwe who said everything had been put in place for the management of Coronavirus cases in the state could not describe the size of space to be used or the equipment in the place at the ward.
However, the Abia Commissioner for Health, Dr Joe Osuji told this Correspondent that the third Centre for Abia North had not been named yet.
He said only the CMD of ABSUTH could talk on the Centre to be located in his hospitals.
Osuji further said that the Centre located at Amaachara, Umuahia was initially a ward meant to cater for people with Tuberculosis.
He said the Centre is specious and had five beds for men and five for women stressing that although no one is praying to have such cases here, if need be, more bed spaces would be provided.
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