Abia State Governor, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu, has commissioned a new 100-bedded isolation facility with full compliment of medical equipment at the Amachara Specialist Hospital, Umuahia South Local Government Area.

Speaking while commissioning the facility, Governor Ikpeazu commended the management of Access Bank Plc for donating the items for the isolation facility to the State Government to support the management of coronavirus patients. According to the Governor, “Our strategy in Abia State is to keep the virus away from the state and its environs and in the event of any infection be able to nurse patients back to health”.

Dr Ikpeazu stated that the new facility has helped to increase the state’s capacity to deal with the virus and pointed out that his administration is continuously improving its capacity to deal with the pandemic and its aftermath. He further disclosed that soon, the State would have three molecular labs to join the league of states with capacity to test suspected cases of coronavirus from their localities, adding that plans are under way for the training of more medical lab technicians to compliment those already working in the available laboratories in the state. The Governor promised to preserve and put to use all the equipment donated to the State as they are timeless and robust equipment that would be useful beyond the COVID-19 pandemic era. He disclosed that his administration has paid for three units of genexpert machine from the United States of America.

Continuing, Dr Ikpeazu said that as long as the COVID-19 pandemic is concerned, Abia would continue to be vigilant, assuring that the battle against COVID-19 is an ongoing one and the state is rapidly developing capacity for the expected long drawn out war. He described the State Government’s partnership with Access Bank Plc as a strategic one that would continue to benefit citizens of the State and promised to sustain the relationship with the bank.

In his remarks, the Secretary to the State Goverment and Chairman Inter-ministerial Committee on COVID-19, Barr. Chris Ezem, informed that the 100-bedded isolation facility has full compliments of medical and supporting equipment and thanked the bank for its assistance to the State.

Earlier, the Zonal Head, Access Bank Plc, Mr. Kennedy Ojukwu, said that the equipment donated for the increased capacity of the100 bed isolation facility is for the use of Abia people and is the bank's support to the fight against COVID-19 in the State. He commended the efforts of the State Government so far and expressed hope that the facility would assist the State a great deal.

“COVID-19 is a global issue, it is a massive health challenge to the nations of the world and has affected lots of things. So, as a responsible private organization, we thought it necessary to support the Federal Government and respective state governments in their fight against COVID-19. What we are doing is supporting their efforts and jointly fight this cause”, he said.

The isolation centre at the Amachara Specialist Hospital had earlier been made ready by the Abia State Government as one is the state owned isolation centres for use in case of any COVID-19 eventuality. The continued equipping of the centre is a continued process which Access Bank Plc has graciously contributed to. Among the materials supplied by access banks are beds, Patient Monitors, ventilators, pulse oximeters, oxygen cylinders, stadiometers, Sphygmomanometers,

Nebulizers, X-Ray (Mobile, Digital), refrigerators, television sets, fridges,

Ultrasound Imaging (Multipurpose, Portable), Autoclave, Defribillator, Endotracheal Tubes, respirators, Haemertology Analyzer, Stethoscopes, etc.

PHOTO: Governor Ikpeazu about to cut the tape to commission the 100-bed isolation facility at Amachara Specialist Hospital, Umuahia . . .on Friday

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