CoronaVirus Updates
N1.2b Lagos COVID-19 isolation centre closes as cases rise
BY NICHOLAS ABE
The fight against the coronavirus pandemic in Lagos State may suffer setback if the current agreement to close the Eti-Osa Isolation Centre at Landmark Village, Oniru, Victoria Island, stands.
RELIABLESOURCENG.COM gathered that the isolation centre is a contribution by a group, Young President Organisation (YPO), to support Lagos State as the government battle the COVID-19 scourge and it is expected to run out July 31, in line with the agreement.
According to a statement issued on Monday, the YPO Board said the organisation will be donating all the world-class medical equipment estimated to worth N1.2 billion, to the state government, upon closure.
YPO is described as a global leadership community with over 29,000 business executives in over 130 countries, who are driven by the belief that the world needs better leaders.
It projects itself as a community of peer leaders committed to lifelong learning and idea exchange. Its Lagos chapter has a total of 102 members and 78 spouses/partner.
In effort to help the community, YPO Lagos chapter, approached the Lagos State Government and on March 31, embarked on setting up a free public COVID-19 treatment and isolation centre in Eti-Osa.
Three weeks later on April 22, the Eti-Osa Isolation Centre at Landmark Village was handed over to the state government for it to be integrated into the state-wide response for the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Eti-Osa Isolation Centre’s sole purpose was to improve the capacity of the state to fight COVID-19 and thus save lives during the critical early stage of the pandemic.
The 86-bed emergency treatment and isolation centre, catered for moderately to severely sick patients, with an Intensive Care Unit (ICU), High dependency Unit (HDU), and a general ward.
The centre is equipped with six ventilators, monitors, respirators, mobile X-rays, ultrasound and oxygen piping as well as all other auxiliary medical and non-medical facilities.
According to the management board, “As the Centre is closing down on July 31, 2020, YPO will donate world-class medical equipment to Lagos State in order to contribute to the development of the health care system in the state now and for many years to come.
READ: You cannot survive confrontation with God – Okotie warns
“The facility is staffed with 97 clinical staff such as medical directors, doctors, intensivists, nurses, radiologists, physiotherapists, pharmacists, laboratory operators, biomedical engineers, and 45 operational staff such as housekeepers, hygienists and support staff.
“Each of the 142 staff has undergone constant and regular training since the beginning of the centre’s operations in order to improve quality and build a world-class health care ecosystem at the Eti-Osa Isolation Centre.
“YPO is very proud to have contributed to the continuous capacity building of the health care workers and extremely grateful to the team of doctors, nurses, and facilities personnel that worked tirelessly every day and night, to make sure lives were saved.
“The Eti-Osa Isolation Centre has treated over 310 patients, from every nationality and every walk of life. Every one of them was treated like a VIP patient and the excellent service and wonderful care was appreciated by everyone at the centre.”
The organization also commended “members, spouses, and our corporate and individual donors who collectively donated about N1.2 billion to make this centre a reality.”
YPO continued, “We are very thankful to the Lagos State Government for this unique collaboration which contributed to the narrative of saving lives in Lagos State.
“YPO believes that the Eti-Osa Isolation Centre has changed the landscape of healthcare and the role of the private sector in healthcare in Lagos and Nigeria as a whole and hope there will be a similar collaboration with the state in the future.”