The Chief Medical Director of Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, Dr Emeka Onwe Ogah, has warned Nigerians to beware of the chemicals packaged and sold to them as hand sanitizers.
He said the agent used for the fake sanitizers exposes people to different diseases including the coronavirus disease.
Ogah issued this warning on Wednesday while addressing journalists in Abakaliki on the fight against the coronavirus pandemic by the federal and state governments as well as the teaching hospital.
He further disclosed that the federal government has established testing laboratory for the Coronavirus pandemic suspected cases in Ebonyi.
Stating that the Lassa fever testing machine was upgraded to test for the coronavirus disease in the state and beyond.
The CMD pointed that the Covid-19 laboratory in the state would cover south east and south-south if need be and would reduce the anxiety generated by suspicions.
He said with the establishment, they can easily test a suspected case and declare the result either positive or negative.
Ogah applauded the federal Government, for upgrading the virology center Abakaliki to the standard of testing Coronavirus suspected cases in the zone.
He also commended the state government for the preventive measures put in place to fight the coronavirus and to ensure that it doesn’t enter Ebonyi state.
He urged the people to always wash their hands with soap and water as well as to keep a good personal hygiene.
The CMD commended the establishment of isolation centers and six holding areas were patients would be kept.
“I must commend the state government for the establishment of isolation/treatment center at Unity Square, Abakaliki, and a holding area were we keep suspected cases. There are also six holding areas outside the one in the virology unit of AE-FUTHA. They were established across the three senatorial zones of the state two in each zone. Two general hospitals were selected for this. All these will help in preventing/management of the disease should it occur.
“We also want to thank the board, management and staff of this hospital for their commitment so far. Patients are being seen in the hospital, there’s no panic, no crisis.
“Hospital management has strived to it’s capacity to provide sanitzers, face masks and to maintain Infection, Prevention and Control(IPC) which is very important in fighting this scourge”.
“Wash your hands with soap and water more because it is easier to get safe with water than sanitizers. Some sanitizers are fake, they are rather agents of exposing people to diseases. So, people should not insist that they must use sanitizers. Soap and water is readily available.
“We want to thank God that so far, no disease has been confirmed in the state and we thank the Governor for the effort he his making to prevent the entrance of the disease into the state”, noted
