Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire has warned against the idea of closing down isolation centres, saying that a gradual decline in cases of COVID-19 does not signify the end of the pandemic.
In his address at the daily briefing of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 on Monday in Abuja, Minister of Health, Ehanire stressed that the need to work in preparation for the second wave of the virus.
“With the decline in the number of active cases and the number of cases on admission drops, some isolation centres in the country are already making arrangements to rationalise the number of frontline health personnel into the reserve pool or redeployed. This would be done in a manner that will allow easy re-mobilisation where necessary.
“We, however, advise states and relevant stakeholders not to completely close all isolation centres due to consistent lack of patients but some centres should rather be maintained. This is to ensure promptness and readiness against any surge as part of l preparation against possible second wave.
According to him, the PTF would take advantage of the low active cases to carry out appraisal and reappraisal of activities in the isolation centres.
“This is necessary to assess and understand areas of strengths, weaknesses, available opportunities as well as dangers. Such activities will consolidate gains while taking measures to prevent the re-occurrence of errors as well as the payment of appropriate resources.
“We are also making arrangements for stocktaking and repurposing of equipment earlier deployed to temporary isolation centres with a view to using the opportunity provided by the resource mobilisation for the COVID-19 response for health systems strengthening.”
