The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) will invoke
relevant laws that enables it to mandatorily evacuate recalcitrant
COVID-19 patients to treatment centres, the FCT Minister, Malam
Muhammad Bello has said.
Bello, a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr
Anthony Ogunleye, on Thursday in Abuja said the measure was one of
the decisions taken at a meeting of the FCT COVID-19 Emergency
Response Team and management of FCTA.
The meeting, which he chaired, also had in attendance Minister
of State, (FCT) Dr Ramatu Aliyu, FCT Permanent Secretary, Mr
Chinyeaka Ohaa, acting Secretary, Health and Human Services
Secretariat, Dr Mohammed Kawu, and others.
The FCT Minister, who expressed dissatisfaction with the
development, said that existing laws would be used to force such
persons to go to treatment centers.
Bello noted that the suspected COVID-19 patients staying at home
posed great risks not just to their families, but also immediate
communities.
“Since we have began to witness community transmission of the
virus, it is imperative that we must do everything within our
powers to stop the spread; even if we have to compel such persons
to go to treatment centers.
” In order to prevent further spread of the virus within the
communities, it was resolved that massive testing will be carried
out in areas where community transmission has been established,
including Mabushi, Gishiri and Utako.
The minister said that the response team encouraged all
residents to wear face masks when in the public and also encouraged
them to make their own face masks from cloth and wear them
always.
Bello also thanked all the frontline workers in the fight
against the virus and called for the cooperation of all residents
of the territory in the fight against covid-19.
He, however, called on residents to obey all laid down measures,
including observing social distancing, constant hand washing,
observing stay at home directives and maintain respiratory
hygiene.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the meeting also
reviewed the current situation of the COVID-19 pandemic in the FCT
and the measures taken to contain it.
NAN also reports that, so far, a total of 263 staff made up of
66 doctors, 103 nurses, nine pharmacists, 15 laboratory scientists
and 70 other staff have been trained, while 337 others are slated
for training which is on-going in batches.