…As Lagos records seventh death
The Federal government has taken delivery of a shipment of ventilators and other medical equipment from the United Nations systems in Nigeria to help the country’s fight against the Coronavirus pandemic.
The United Nations Resident Coordinator for Nigeria, Mr Edward Kallon, said in a statement on Wednesday that the shipment included 50 ventilators and other protective equipment.
The statement said they were procured with the recently launched COVID-19 Basket Fund.
According to the statement, the basket fund also included a $2 million mobilised within the UN system in Nigeria and a USD $200,000 contribution from APM Terminals.
The supplies, which arrived through the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, will boost government’s efforts to provide an efficient and effective healthcare response for those affected by the virus, the statement noted.
“The supplies will be deployed around the country to health facilities in most need due to the outbreak, and coordination structures are already in place between the government and the UN to ensure urgent deployment.
“The next shipment of personal protective equipment (PPE) expected to arrive in Nigeria later this month.
“The world is in the midst of an unprecedented crisis. The spread of the COVID-19 is expected to put immense pressure on Nigeria’s healthcare system.
“The UN in Nigeria is actively mobilising resources in support of the government’s national response strategy of containing the pandemic and adequately caring for those confirmed to have the virus,” he said.
He noted that through the COVID-19 Basket Fund, the UN in Nigeria was supporting accelerated government response to address the pandemic, prevent further spread of the virus and ensure optimum care for those affected by the Coronavirus.
According to the statement, the Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, who received the supplies, noted that it would go a long way toward boosting government’s efforts to strengthen healthcare services and manage the pandemic.
Meanwhile, the Lagos State government has announced another coronavirus death, bringing the total number of COVID-19 related deaths in the State to seven.
“One COVID-19 death was recorded,” the Ministry of Health Twitted on Wednesday.
“This brings to seven, the number of COVID-19 related deaths in Lagos State.”
The victim was a 63-year-old male, who had no history of travel or contact with any confirmed case.
Lagos State has the highest number of coronavirus cases in Nigeria since the first index case was recorded in February.
The State, which has been on lockdown for more than two weeks, has recorded 217 cases. No fewer than 70 COVID-19 patients have also been discharged from the its Yaba Isolation Centre.
The Commissioner for Health, Prof Akin Abayomi, also disclosed on Tuesday that 118,000 have been tested in the state during an active search for coronavirus cases.
The commissioner said the community search was activated to limit the spread of the disease in the State.