Anambra State Government trains heads of health departments on how to tackle coronavirus

Maureen Onuora in Enugu

Anambra State Government has trained 21 Heads of Departments at the Local Government Health Offices on the Protocol against  the ravaging coronavirus, which is aimed to get the officers prepared ahead of possible identification of any case in the State and on  how to remain safe while doing the job.

Penpushing reports that, speaking on the importance of the training, Dr.Ibezim said that with the threat of Coronavirus pandemic, it became necessary to train the front line health officers who are in regular touch with the communities on how to use oxygen.

“The establishment of the oxygen plant by Governor Willie Obiano is farsighted, especially with the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic. The participants were grilled on the basic uses and limitations of medical Oxygen with a view to ensuring that proper procedure is strictly applied by experts. At the end of the day, the 21 HODs were expected to transmit to the Local Governments what they learnt “

Penpushing further reports that the State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Vincent Okpala explained that Anambra State had in the course of the Lassa fever outbreak developed a procedure which was adjudged very comprehensive by experts and was channeled towards the public and healthcare providers, and thankfully, that same algorithm has come handy with the  Covid -19 pandemic.

The Commissioner said, the trainees were taken through the protocol for case definition, adding,” they were told what to do when a patient arrives the facility. Whether or not he has fever, cough or shortness of breath?

‘If the condition has prevailed for a period of fourteen days? If the patient returned from any countries worst hit by the pandemic? And whether he has been in contact with a facility where covid-19 case was treated? If answers to these were in the affirmative, they were advised to put the patient in a separate room with face mask and get in touch with the experts “.

The Commissioner noted that the essence is to boost the confidence and allay the anxiety of the Heads of Departments of Health in the local government areas and ensure that they can provide basic care before expert care is deployed.

Penpushing also reports that, the Executive Secretary, Anambra State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr.  Chioma Ezenyimulu, highlighted the role of Healthcare Workers in Covid -19 case management, stressing on the need for safety and adequate care for both the patient and the health officers.

The training which was held at King David Hotel,  Awka,  has the Managing Director of Anambra State Oxygen Production Plant, and Special Adviser to the Governor on Indigenous Medicine, Dr. Onyeka Ibezim as Chief Facilitator, while the training  also involved as co-organizers  the Anambra State Ministry of Health and the State Primary Healthcare Development Agency (ASPHCA).

Meanwhile, participants at the training include Directors of Primary Health Care Services in the 21 local government areas, officers in charge of Primary Health Care Centres in the local government, State Health Educator, Anambra State Health Care MIEs, State Epidemiologists, and the Director, Disease Control and Immunization and  Anambra State Primary Health Care Development Agency.