Anambra State Commissioner for Health, Dr Vincent Okpala, has advised Medical Practitioners to increase their level of suspicion and identification of COVID-19 symptoms which are primary in treating and checking the spreading of the disease.
Commissioner Okpala made the call in Awka, during the State Government’s Covid-19 update with leaders of Faith -based hospitals across the State.
The programme was aimed at strengthening the partnerships between government and those hospitals for improved healthcare delivery.
The move is hinged on the mixed health system which promotes the development of policies that benefit public and private health sectors.
The Health Commissioner, stressed the importance of early detection and treatment of the disease within two days of contraction has a higher percentage level of preventing the death of a patient, thus the need for Covid-19 tests to be conducted immediately a symptom is identified.
He noted that COVID-19 currently stands at eight-point-one percent positivity rate as against one-point-two percent last year, and emphasised that if the war against the virus must be won, medical personnel must be one step ahead in the management and control of the disease, as well as other efforts in sensitization and knowledge sharing.
The Commissioner announced that all hospitals in the state must be ready to begin Covid-19 treatment, adding that state government would soon release the guidelines.
He further observed that close to seventy-five percent of health care services are offered by privately owned health facilities which also include faith- based hospitals, hence, the need to properly involve them in the making of health policies and implementation, as critical stakeholders in the health sector.
The Infection, Prevention and Control Focal Person of the State Ministry of Health, Dr Kenneth Nwokolo, delivered Lectures on critical and emerging issues in Covid-19 Prevention, Management and Control, as items that featured at the Update session.
The Permanent Secretary, Mr. Nwabueze Nwankwo and the representatives of African Centre for Disease Control were also present at the interactive session.
