As the number of COVID-19 cases continue to build there is an urgent need to protect health workers that have been presently over stretched. The Cross River State COVID-19 Taskforce Chairman made this known at the Ministry head quarters pointing out the need to reequip our frontline health workers with COVID-19 prevention materials as safety and preventive measures must first begin with them since they are more exposed to this danger in the course of discharging their duties.
“The second wave of COVID-19 has come, with the population having COVID-19 Fatigue, people finding it difficult to carry out COVID-19 protocol leading to community spread. for our frontline health workers who are always on the forefront of this fight to continue to be safe, we must take the responsibility of not only protecting them but coming all out as a government to support them with all the necessary COVID-19 prevention equipments ranging from PPEs, Hand Sanitizers, Facemasks, Latex Gloves, Isolation Gowns, Hamzel suits, Face shield, Googles, Heavy duty boots, Infrared thermometers, Body bags, Liquid hand wash, Boots, Scrubs, etcdonning/doffing practicals, COVID-19 Protocol manuals and any other important information about this virus that can be of help to them to keep them safe.
This COVID-19 protective/prevention equipments have been distributed to all of our Primary and Secondary facilities which should cover for almost 5000 health workers across board.
Dr Betta Edu carefully enumerated the progress made in the State response which has today brought innovation even to the National response and she also went on to outline some of the setbacks as a result of the EndSARS Protest which affected the reference Lab and 100 bed Isolation center leaving the State with only 14 bed space (4 in UCTH and 10 at GH Ogoja). While we await a positive and immediate response from the PTF, it is pertinent that we support and protect our frontline health workers by providing this important COVID-19 protective equipments as they already have been over stretched by the pandemic, yet they keep doing their best to give the State the best of health care services.
Dr Janet Ekpeyong, DG Primary Health Care Development Agency who was on hand to receive the PPEs with some Primary Health Care Directors from the Local Government areas. She thanked the Cross River state COVID-19 Taskforce respond team for always being proactive. She noted that the front line health workers have started sensitization on the COVID-19 vaccines dispelling rumors around it. She promised to continue motivating the health workers at the primary health level.
The Director Medical Services and Medical superintendents were also on hand to receive for secondary facilities commending the state response for always prioritizing health workers in the state.
