By Asmau Ahmad
The Lagos State Government will inaugurate 10 Oxygen and Sampling centres to improve management of severe-to-critical COVID-19 cases.
The Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, disclosed this during a media briefing on the update of the second wave of COVID-19 in the state.
He said that the state would deploy oxygen therapy centres in high burden local government areas to manage severe-to-critical COVID-19 patients.
According to him, the centres were sited at the Mother and Child Centre, Eti-Osa; General Hospital Alimosho; General Hospital Isolo; Aguda Primary Healthcare Centre, Surulere; and General Hospital Gbagada.
Dr Abayomi listed others as, Mother and Child Centre, Ifako Ijaiye; Ibeju-Lekki Primary Healthcare Centre; General Hospital Apapa; Odi Olowu Primary Healthcare Centre, Mushin; and Amuwo-Odofin Mother and Child Centre.
The commissioner said that the oxygen centres at Mother and Child Centre, Eti-Osa; General Hospital Alimosho and General Hospital Isolo were already completed, while the remaining seven centres would be completed in the next two weeks.
He noted that medical oxygen is the primary treatment for the majority of patients who were suffering severe COVID-19 symptoms.
“Many of these patients present late to the isolation centres, thus leading to fatalities. This life-saving gas helps patients breathe when they cannot do so on their own, and timely access to oxygen is critical to ensure the patient’s survival.
“If anyone is breathless, go to any of these centres, and the doctors and nurses there will assist to stabilise you with oxygen before moving you with the ambulance to the isolation centre,” he said.
Abayomi stressed that the state was committed to ensuring improved healthcare system toward enhancing quality healthcare and saving the lives of its citizens.
He, however, warned that the rate of COVID-19 infection positivity was increasing in the state due to the festivities and disregard for safety measures.
