Lagos discharges 5 more COVID-19 patients, warns of extortion for testing

 

BY OUR EDITOR

Lagos State Government Thursday discharged five more patients who have fully recovered from the coronavirus infection.

The former patients – three females and two males – were discharged from the Mainland Infectious Diseases Hospital, Yaba.

According to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu who is the state Incident Commander, the five were discharged having recovered fully and tested negative twice consecutively to #COVID19.

“This brings to 90, the number of patients successfully managed and discharged from our isolation facilities.

“I appeal to residents to stay at home, practice #SocialDistancing and observe the highest possible personal and hand hygiene,” the governor admonished in a statement on Thursday.

Meanwhile, the state government has said that COVID-19 tests in all approved testing centres in Lagos State are carried out free of charge.

Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi stated this Thursday while reacting to an online report which alleged that patients pay N30,000 for COVID19 test at NCDC approved centres in Lagos, noting that no designated testing centre in the state is allowed to collect money for COVID-19 tests.

READ: Nigeria confirms 34 new Coronavirus cases as Lagos, Kano lead

The Commissioner maintained that the state Ministry of Health is not aware of any health worker at any of the testing centres that collects money for the COVID-19 test.

He urged residents to be wary of misleading reports targeted at discrediting front-line health workers who are committed to ensuring that COVID-19 is contained.

Prof Abayomi also urged Lagosians to call 08000CORONA to report any health worker and or anyone who demands or requests fees to conduct COVID-19 test at any designated testing centre in Lagos.

He warned that any health worker or personnel discovered to have engaged in any illegal activities will be sanctioned in line with extant provisions of the law and rules guiding their duties.