…firm donates 600-bed facility
Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu has approved the immediate provision of group life/group personal accident assurance policy for all medical doctors in the state-owned University of Science and Technology (ESUT) Teaching Hospital, Parklane, Enugu, in his resolve to strengthen the state’s response to coronavirus pandemic.
Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Simon Uchenna Ortuanya, in a statement, yesterday, said the assurance package would also be extended to all doctors in the state Ministry of Health and health workers.
Other beneficiaries include fire fighters, staff of Enugu State Emergency Management Agency (ESEMA)and those on essential services.
Prof. Ortuanya said Governor Ugwuanyi was hopeful that the insurance scheme would inspire higher commitment and productivity from healthcare workers in the quest to curb the spread of COVID-19.
The governor also directed Presidents General of town unions in the state to mobilise volunteers and town criers in autonomous communities to enlighten residents on the need to adhere to the protocol for the prevention of COVID-19 transmission with effect from Thursday, March 26.
The governor further directed them to interface with the Enugu State Multi-sectoral Rapid Response Team, through the Permanent Secretary, State Ministry of Health, for the purpose of collecting Information, Education and Communication (IEC) materials on corona virus for use by the volunteers and town criers.
According to Prof. Ortuanya, the state government had made provisions for logistic support to assist in the fulfilment of this task by the town criers.
Meanwhile, an Enugu-based hospitality company, Golden Royal, has donated a 600-bed facility to the African Development Institute of Research Methodology (ADIRM) for use in case of outbreak of the novel COVID-19 in the South East, especially Enugu state.
Director of the Institute, Prof. Ike Oluka, disclosed this during the final round of training they organised for health personnel and other volunteers who would work as emergency response team.
He explained that the fully airconditioned facility would give comfort to any victim of the virus, adding that the government alone cannot be allowed to fight the pandemic.
“We decided to establish this emergency response team in order to help both the state and the Federal Government fight the virus and ensure that it does not escalate,” he said.
Oluka stated that members of the response team, numbering 150 have been successfully trained and deployed to the communities in the 17 Local Government Areas of the state to create awareness and sensitize the public on what to do to prevent the spread of the virus.
The director who called for donations from institutions and public-spirited individuals in the fight against the scourge, noted that some other organisations had contributed various materials including personal preventive equipment.
