Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State on Friday inaugurated a 118-bed isolation and treatment centre within the premises of Gbagada General Hospital for the management of COVID-19 patients.
A statement by Mr Tunbosun Ogunbanwo, Director, Public Affairs, Lagos State Ministry of Health, said the three-floor isolation and treatment facility has intensive care isolation unit, ventilators, monitors, respirators, mobile x-ray, ultrasound, oxygen among other ultra modern medical equipment.
Speaking at the unveiling, Sanwo-Olu said an existing facility within the Gbagada General Hospital complex, which was not in use was converted to the 118-bed bio-security complaint isolation and treatment facility after an extensive renovation and upgrade.
Sanwo-Olu said the centre was revamped to provide additional capacity to the existing isolation centres in the state.
“This facility as you know, used to be the Cardiac and Renal Centre, but has not been used for sometime now.
“So what we have been doing in the last two and a half months is to upscale the facility, finish up with the builders’ work and revamp the entire place to conform with an isolation centre,” he said.
The Governor explained that the facility, which was designated for management of COVID-19 cases, had been demarcated into Green, Yellow and Red Zones in line with Infection Prevention and Control management.
“Green Zone will be for the health workers before they enter into the premises; Yellow Zone is holding Bay for suspected COVID-19 cases who are on observation, while the Red Zone is for the management of confirmed COVID-19 cases.
“The facility has an independent power supply and back up power generator for uninterrupted power supply.
“This facility, I must say is first class and of international standard and has all the trappings of clinical care Unit,” he said.
The Governor also used the occasion to celebrate frontline health workers and other allied professionals, who were in the forefront of the COVID-19 battle.
“Today being May Day, we’ve had a celebration and our frontline health workers have been celebrated as the real heroes of 2020 May Day Celebration.
“Everybody that is a health worker and frontline worker in the public and private sectors are the ones we are celebrating today.
“All the doctors, nurses, pharmacists, laboratory technicians, health attendants, psychosocial care givers, street sweepers, fire fighters, emergency responders are the real celebrants for this May Day celebration.
“I think it is important that we celebrate them and mention that their sacrifices and labour are recognised,” he said.
Sanwo-Olu disclosed that two other isolation facilities dedicated solely for frontline health workers, who might be infected with COVID-19 have been completed and are expected to go live today.
“Today as well, I encouraged and spoke with our health workers at various isolation centres undergoing treatment.
“They are all in very high spirits and I know as from tomorrow some of them would be discharged to reunite with their families,” Sanwo-Olu said.
He noted that the state would continue to ramp up its bed capacity and increase its isolation bed spaces in both known and undisclosed Isolation facilities.
The Governor said the state would always be ready to admit confirmed COVID-19 cases and discharged them after successful management.