By Olamide Francis
The Oyo State Emergency Operations Centre and the COVID-19 Technical Task Force has directed owners of private health facilities to stop managing COVID-19 cases in their facilities.
The directive was contained in a statement issued at the weekend in Ibadan, by Mr. Taiwo Adisa, the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Seyi Makinde, and made available to newsmen.
The statement which was addressed to chief executive officers, chief operating officers and managers of private health facilities in Ibadan, Oyo state, indicated that the directive had the backing of Prof. Temitope Alonge, the Chairman of the state’s COVID-19 Technical Task Force.
“No private health facility in Oyo State has been licensed to manage COVID-19 patients. Strict adherence to the laid down infection prevention and control measures will be enforced by the emergency operations centre at any private health facility,” the statement quoted Alonge as saying.
According to the statement, the recent rising cases of COVID-19 in the state had been linked to the management of the pandemic by the private healthcare providers.
“I wish to inform you that there are reports of an increase in the number of healthcare workers who have contracted coronavirus infection at various healthcare facilities”, Alonge said.
He, therefore, enjoined the health workers to comply strictly with the advice, reiterating that the state government could not afford any depletion in the healthcare workforce due to ill- health arising from coronavirus infections.
He said that there were 30 testing centres approved for the purpose of testing samples, including the University College Hospital, Ibadan, adding that all suspected cases of coronavirus infection should be referred to the centres for testing, which is free for both symptomatic or suspected cases.
