Oxygen shortage hits isolation centres – PTF

...Treatment centres getting filled up

…NCDC urged states to enforce safety protocols

Moses Emorinken, Abuja

The Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 Tuesday disclosed that there is a shortage of oxygen needed to manage patients receiving treatments in isolation centres across the country.

back link building services=0></a></div><p>It further disclosed that treatment facilities are currently struggling to keep up with bed spaces needed for the increasing numbers of patients needing admission.</p><p>Noting that some states are turning a blind eye to the obvious disregard of laid down safety protocols, especially with regards to social gatherings, the PTF therefore urged State Governors to enforce strict adherence to the safety protocols that have agreed on collectively.</p><p>The Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, made this known during the Presidential Task Force on covid-19 briefing in Abuja.</p><p>He said, “Our colleagues, the Chief Medical Directors (CMDs) are here today because of the cases that we faced across the country. Treatment centres are filling up, and we are struggling to keep up. We are struggling to find the oxygen to manage cases. Every night we are faced with phone calls of patients desperate for care. So, unfortunately, January will be a tough month for all of us. It will be tough but we still have an opportunity to do what we need to do.</p><p>“We have been liaising with Executive Governors of States across the country to be more purposeful in implementing the measures that we have agreed on collectively. We have seen some of them doing that but many of the States across the country have not; they pretend as if there will be no consequence. This is the reality we are faced with and we have got to brace ourselves for January.”</p><div class='code-block code-block-5' style='margin: 8px 0; clear: both;'> <a href=https://www.adhang.com/guest-posting-services/ ><img class=lazy src=

Positive cases rose 100 per cent in one week, says PTF

“The Case Management team has continued to advocate for the presence of psychosocial support for both patients and health workers. This is necessary because of the fatigue and consequential apathy associated with the pandemic.”

Representing the Chief Medical Directors (CMDs), the CMD of University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Gwagwalada, Prof Bisala Ekele, said: “In the first wave there was no need for ventilators, now we are in the second wave but we do not know yet if we will need more ventilators. What is certain is that all the Teaching Hospitals and treatment centres have ventilators and when it is indicated they will be put to use.

“Covid-19 is primarily a disease of the respiratory tract and therefore, depending on the degree of severity, there might be need to support the patient with oxygen. And within those treatment centres we have different devices that we use to support the patient with the oxygen. Simple ones like the use of facial masks etc. It is when all of those fail that we now think of the ventilators. Most of the patients that need oxygen really do not need a ventilator. But when it is indicated we shall put them to the ventilator.”