The Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to Delta State Governor on Health Monitoring, Dr. Michael Nwoko, has admonished health personnel at the various gateways into the state to be diligent in the execution of the protocol on coronavirus by ensuring routine checks on passengers for early signs and symptoms of the virus such as checking for elevated body temperature with the use of infra- red thermometer scanners as well as looking out for those coughing and sneezing.
Dr. Nwoko gave the admonition when he led the Delta State Health Monitoring team to Osubi International Airport and Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA) Warri, on 4th and 5th March, 2020, respectively.
The team were in the two strategic ports of entry into the State to assess the facilities on ground for conducting preliminary checks on passengers coming into the State for coronavirus and also to ascertain the readiness of the health team and staffers to effectively execute the protocol on coronavirus, which has been declared a global pandemic by World Health Organization (WHO).
Speaking after the assessment of the facilities at the ports of entry, Dr. Michael Nwoko stated, ‘ having inspected the facilities at the Osubi Airport and NPA, the two strategic entry ports in the State required for conducting preliminary checks on passengers coming into the State, and having interacted with the Staffers of the ports of entry, I would want to say that there is no cause for alarm, because the administration of His Excellency, Sen. Dr. Arthur Ifeanyi Okowa, through the State’s Ministry of Health is working round the clock alongside the Emergency Operation Centre(EOC) to ensure precautionary measures in order to avoid the outbreak of coronavirus in the State and to also curtail the spread should there be any outbreak in the State.’
Dr. Nwoko commended the staffers of the Ports for effectively keeping the guard against the disease and further admonished them to be cautious in handling patients to avoid contracting the virus.
His words, ‘I want to advice you, health workers in every port of entry into the State, to be particularly diligent in the execution of the protocol on coronavirus by conducting preliminary checks on passengers coming into the State, to ensure that cases of high suspicion index as well as infected persons do not slip into the State through your guard.’
‘I also want to caution you on the need to take extra precautionary measures to protect yourselves against contaminants, to prevent being infected by the virus.’
Further, Dr. Nwoko stated, ‘so far Delta State, presently has no report of any case of the coronavirus outbreak.’ He concluded.
The Officials as well as Health personnel of the Ports commended the Health monitoring team for their proactive steps to deal with public health challenges in the State adding that the State Government has shown serious commitment to ensuring the safety of all residents of the State following the outbreak of coronavirus in Lagos, Nigeria. They also thanked the State Government for offering them the necessary support required to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
Members of the Health Monitoring team in the visit were Dr. Patrick Onwuachi, Dr. Kingsley Amaihunwa, Dr. Sam Efetobore, all SSA’s on Health Monitoring as well as their personal aides and staff.