... Cautions Against Stigmatising Facilities With Confirmed Cases
The Lagos State Government has urged members of the public to disregard a list of hospitals and health facilities going viral on social media as being exposed to COVID-19 cases in the State.
The Executive Secretary, State Health Facility Monitoring and Accreditation Agency (HEFAMAA), Dr. Abiola Idowu disowned the fictitious list attributed to the Ministry of Health, stating that HEFAMAA, being the accreditation agency, never issued any statement advising the public not to patronise facilities contained in the document circulated on social media.
"This is the handiwork of mischief makers and fake news merchants who are bent on causing panic in the community and eroding the successes recorded in the battle against COVID-19. I urge all residents to disregard the list in its entirety and rely solely on the State Ministry of Health and HEFAMAA for information on the operation of health facilities and management of COVID-19 cases, especially at this critical time", she said.
Dr. Idowu explained that some health facilities might inadvertently admit or treat COVID-19 patients prior to confirming their status, stressing that in such instance, the facility would be temporarily closed for decontamination while the staff are trained on Infection, Prevention and Control and, thereafter, the facility is certified safe to carry on its normal operations.
She appealed to members of the public to desist from stigmatising health facilities that might have been exposed to Coronavirus cases as well as patients infected with the disease, saying “We need people to desist from stigmatising such facilities, they are only closed for decontamination and once that has been done in addition to other necessary protocols, the facility is safe to offer services to the public”.
The Executive Secretary also averred that stigmatisation and discrimination can drive people to hide the illness, thus preventing others with symptoms from seeking prompt healthcare.
She advised all health facilities operating in Lagos to adhere strictly to the principle on Infection Prevention and Control (IPC), maintain a high degree of suspicion as well as observe laid down protocols for COVID-19 cases, adding that IPC will help reduce human-to-human transmission and secondary infections among close contacts and health workers.
Highlighting some of the critical components of the protocol, Idowu explained that each healthcare facility must have a plan and a team in place to address COVID-19 issues such as triaging and assigning responsibility for notification or communication with the Lagos State COVID-19 response team through the 08000CORONA (0800 026 7662 toll-free line.
She admonished facilities against unauthorised admission and treatment of confirmed Coronavirus cases, warning that any facility caught violating the laid-down protocol of operations, especially with regard to COVID-19 case management, would be sanctioned in line with the extant provision of the law.
While reiterating that only facilities approved by the State Government for COVID-19 case management are expected to carry out the management of all cases, Idowu urged individuals in the State to desist from issuing panicky statements to the public on the operations of health facilities.
This, according to the Executive Secretary, is capable of causing confusion and making the fight against the pandemic more challenging.
“I, hereby, enjoin all health facility operators in the State to direct all inquiries and complaints on COVID-19 case management as well as other issues bordering on their operations to the Lagos State Ministry of Health through HEFAMAA. We can be reached through the following telephone numbers - 09015637023, 09057273396, 09038795500 or 08172704228 she disclosed.
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