New Telegraph

2,381 Covid-19 patients not in hospital, says LASG

*Okays 7 laboratories to boost testing capacity

 

Muritala Ayinla

 

Lagos State government has said that 5,064 out of a total of 9,497 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the state have recovered, saying that 2,381 of the patients have not been picked up due to their refusal to do so and wrong information given by them.
Giving an update on the Covid-19 management in the state, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Dr. Olusegun Ogboye said 1,470 of the patients were admitted and discharged from the state’s COVID-19 care centres, adding that 447 patients are currently admitted in at various virus centres.
He said: “A total of 447 patients are currently admitted in our various COVID-19 care centres, majority of the balance of 2,381 have not been picked up due to their refusal and wrong information. Seven patients were either evacuated or transferred out of our COVID-19 care centres while 128 patients representing 1.3 percent who have tested positive for COVID-19 in Lagos State have died.”
According to him,  despite the fact that 42 percent of the confirmed COVID-19 cases in Nigeria have been in Lagos State, the state accounts for only 23.6 percent of the recorded deaths in Nigeria, stressing that this suggests competence in the management of confirmed cases in Lagos.
Ogboye stated that in the next few weeks Lagos will transit to home-based care option for people who have mild symptoms or are asymptomatic so as to cope with the number of positive cases in the state
“To cope with the numbers of positive cases we have incorporated what we call the home based care or the decentralization of isolation centers. In the community we will be looking for homes where people will be adequately isolated in their environment which does not pose danger to other members of the community,” he said.
On his part, State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi said that the state has expanded its COVID-19 response capacity with the accreditation of seven private laboratories to boost its testing capacity and three private hospitals for case management.
Abayomi listed the names of the accredited laboratories to include: Total Medical Services, Sylab,  54gene, Mebbury Medical Services, Biologix Medical Services, 02 Medical Services and Clina Lancent Laboratory.
He explained that the state government commenced the accreditation and validation of private health facilities to assist in the fight against the virus because of the need to improve the COVID-19 response strategy, improve testing capacity and management of cases especially in the light of the evolving phase of the outbreak.
Abayomi also noted that the state government has accredited three private hospitals for management of cases as part of the drive to explore public private partnership in COVID-19 response stressing that more private health facilities are indicating interest to partner with the state government in the fight against the pandemic.

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