A total of 15 patients have tested positive for COVID-19 out of the 152 samples sent for diagnosis by the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital (NAUTH), Nnewi in Anambra.

The Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the hospital, Prof. Anthony Igwegbe, stated this on Monday when he received medical items, including personal protective equipment (PPE), donated by a group, 100 Igbos US Inc.

Igwegbe said that a member of staff of the hospital was among those who had contracted the virus and was currently receiving treatment at the hospital’s isolation centre, adding that the person would soon be discharged.

“The patient, a cleaner in the hospital, is responding very well to treatment and will soon be discharged,” he said.

The CMD expressed delight that the testing centres approved for the state had reduced movement of samples and the waiting time at Irrua Specialist Hospital Centre in Edo.

According to him, a person can now get his/her test within 48 hours, adding that this would help in diagnosis and management of the cases.

He, however, identified lack of consumables and isolation facilities as the major challenges still facing the hospital in the fight against COVID-19.

Igwegbe said that the donation by the group of Igbo professionals resident in the United States, would go a long way in solving part of the challenges of consumables at the moment.

“We are happy that these materials from our brothers came at the nick of time when we have exhausted the PPE and the face masks that we have.

“You will recall that we have been having cases of COVID-19 here, and each case you manage, we spend a lot of PPE. That is the only problem we encounter in the management of COVID-19 in the hospital,” he said.

Presenting the items, the President of the group, Mr Ejikeme Obasi, said that his organisation had the plan of making similar donations to all tertiary health institutions across the South-Eas zonet and Asaba, Delta capital.

Obasi, who was represented by Prof. Stanley Anyanwu, expressed concern that patients coming to hospitals in the region were often abandoned or sent away, due to absence of PPE.

He said that the donation of the items was aimed at ameliorating the problems faced by health providers in tackling the COVID-19 pandemic.

The president urged health facilities in the South-East zone to develop standard operating procedures to ensure that patients were properly screened and that no patient was sent away without being given attention. (NAN)

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