Lagos State continues to be the epicenter of the Coronavirus
pandemic in Nigeria. As of the 29th of January 2021, Lagos State
had recorded a total of 47,871 confirmed cases of COVID-19. Of
this number, 34,094 have recovered in community, while 9,856
are currently active in community. Over the last 12 months, about
3,988 COVID-related patients have been admitted into the
various care centres across the State; with a registered fatality
rate of approximately 0.63% (301 deaths).
TESTING
Currently, Lagos State has 21 private and 4 public health
laboratories accredited for Covid-19 testing. So far, a total of
316,801 samples have been tested, with 47,871 diagnosed as
Positive.
The test positivity ratio for January 2021 is 24%, which means
that one out of every four tests returns positive. This is the
highest monthly average recorded in the last six months.
It should be stressed that testing is free at all Lagos State public
health laboratories, for all persons who fall within the case
definition—that is, have symptoms such as fever, cough, cold,
inability to smell or taste, headaches or general body
weakness—or those who have come into close contact with
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anyone with any of these symptoms. Testing at our public health
facilities will continue to remain free but cannot be used for travel
purposes. Anyone wishing to test as a requirement for either
outbound or inbound travel or other work-related requirements
must do so at any of the 21 private laboratories accredited by
Lagos State for COVID testing.
HOME-BASED CARE
The Lagos State Government established a telemedicine
service, EKOTELEMED, for patients who are either
asymptomatic or have mild symptoms that do not require
admission, and can therefore be managed in the comfort of their
homes.
EKOTELEMED is manned by well-trained medical personnel,
and is available on a toll-free line, 08000EKOMED
(08000356633). The State Government would like to encourage
as many people as possible, whose cases fall in the
asymptomatic or mild category, to take advantage of this service.
So far about 5,000 patients have been reached through
EKOTELEMED, and more than a thousand care packs delivered
to patients in the Home-based care program.
OXYGEN
The Government wishes to reiterate that Oxygen is free at all
Lagos State-owned Covid-19 Treatment Centers. The Lagos
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State Government does not charge for the use of Oxygen in its
Centers.
Considering that oxygen demand has spiked to between 300 and
400 cylinders per day across state-owned treatment facilities, the
Government is working hard to ensure that availability and
supply are very easily able to meet and even surpass this
demand. To this end, a second oxygen plant is under
construction at the Gbagada General Hospital, and will
come on-stream within the next seven days. It is expected
that this will boost the in-house capacity and availability of
oxygen across all State Government managed treatment
centers.
FG TREATMENT CENTERS GRANT
In view of the rising profile of the coronavirus disease due to the
mutating variants now being discovered globally; and to shore
up our containment and management capacity, I have approved
the sum of Two Hundred Million Naira (N200,000,000) to support
the ongoing patient management and treatment efforts of two
Federal Government Treatment Centers in our state. To this
end, LUTH will be receiving the sum of One Hundred and Fifty
Million Naira and the Federal Medical Center, Ebute Metta will
be receiving Fifty Million Naira. These sums will be disbursed on
Monday, February 1.
IVERMECTIN
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The State Government is aware of numerous international
claims that the broad spectrum anti-parasitic agent/medication
Ivermectin has shown some efficacy in acting as a sustained
prophylaxis in containing/inhibiting the causative virus in SARSCoV-2. While this medication has not yet been approved for the
broad treatment of the Coronavirus disease, the State
Government has however taken the bold step of ensuring we
have adequate stocks of Ivermectin, which will be initially
deployed in a short clinical trial to ascertain its efficiency in our
population to prevent and treat COVID-19 infection.
VACCINES
The Lagos State Government is aware that the Federal
Government is expecting its first batch of vaccines (Pfizer) from
the Covax Facility in February, and that Lagos State’s status as
the epicentre of the pandemic in Nigeria will be duly considered
in the distribution plan.
At the moment the State Government is finalizing its own vaccine
strategy; while at the same time keeping a close eye on ongoing
vaccine research, development and clinical trials. It is also in
constant engagement with all the relevant stakeholders in that
space, in the public and private sectors.
As the vaccines become available in Lagos State they will be
prioritized to the people who need them the most: frontline health
workers, people with co-morbidities (medically vulnerable), the
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elderly (aged 65 and above, and subsequently, those aged
between 50 and 65), and essential workers.
While aligning with the national strategy for deployment of the
vaccines, in these early days, Lagos State will also continue to
scale up the capacity to flatten the infection curve, and to
minimize the fatality rate, through testing and treatment.
The Government also acknowledges its responsibility to ensure
that:
- Lagosians are protected from price-gouging and other
forms of exploitation. - The integrity of the vaccines is kept intact along the entire
supply and distribution chain. - Approved dosages are complied with.
- That a post vaccination adverse event monitoring strategy
is followed diligently and according to normal protocols of
pharmaceutical public safety.
These responsibilities will be faithfully discharged, for the safety
and wellbeing of the people of Lagos State.
NEW TREATMENT OPTION (GBAGADA CENTER)
In keeping with governments responsibility as a public protector
and in response to the growing clamour by patients and families
who are willing to pay for Covid-19 treatment but would like to do
so at a cost that is lower than is currently obtainable at private
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facilities, the Lagos State Government is making efforts to
transform the State-owned Isolation Center in Gbagada into a
fee-paying facility that people can elect to be treated at.
This means that while the Covid Treatment Facility in Yaba will
continue to offer free and high-quality treatment to all persons,
Gbagada will offer treatments at a moderated and affordable
cost to those who wish to take advantage of extra offerings like
private treatment rooms and more personalized levels of care.
NON-PHARMACEUTICAL INTERVENTIONS
The importance of non-pharmaceutical interventions cannot be
overemphasized. All residents of Lagos State must continue to
abide by the public health and safety regulations that have been
issued by the health authorities, including the following: - Wear a mask everywhere.
- Ensure that you wash your re-usable mask regularly, and
also properly dispose of used disposable masks. - If you operate an office or business, insist on the wearing
of masks before customers or clients can be granted
access or rendered service. - Follow social distancing guidelines.
- Avoid mass gatherings or adhere to published guidelines
for congregations. - Practice regular hand and respiratory hygiene.
7 - If you feel any symptoms that correspond to the outlined
symptoms of COVID-19, get tested. Testing is FREE for
symptomatic patients in Lagos State, through the network
of public testing facilities. - If positive, self-isolate or report to any Isolation Centre and
follow-up clinics.
The State Government has observed with dismay the
widespread flagrant disregard and non-adherence to guidelines
and protocols aimed at stemming and curbing the tide of
infection. We particularly note that some event centers have
been operating their premises outside the acceptable
parameters for operation/usage and continue to be recalcitrant
in this regard.
This is to sound a very serious note of warning that henceforth
all those found culpable and in breach of the existing regulations
and guidelines would be swiftly and decisively dealt with in full
accordance with the provisions of the law.
Furthermore, and in line with the COVID-19 Health Protection
Regulations 2021 signed last week by President Muhammadu
Buhari, it is hereby directed that no gathering of more than
50 persons shall hold in an enclosed space, except for
religious purposes, in which case the gathering shall not
exceed 50% capacity of the space.
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A breach of the provisions of the Presidential Regulations
attracts upon summary conviction, a fine or six months
imprisonment and or both. Our enforcement agencies have
been appropriately tasked to ensure maximum compliance.
All Lagosians are enjoined to continue to observe all laid down
guidelines and protocols issued by both the state and federal
governments for the effective containment and treatment of the
novel corona virus disease.
Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu
Governor of Lagos State
January 31, 202
