Ogun State brings innovation to the fight against COVID-19

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Decontamination after each sample collection

Sample Collection process

Dr Ola with Deputy Governor of Ogun State

• Launches first COVID-19 Mobile Testing Booth

The launch of what is believed to be Nigeria’s first COVID-19 mobile testing booth held yesterday in Ota, Ogun State.

The booth was designed by Dr Ola Brown, founder of the Flying Doctors Healthcare Investment Group; a Health care company that offers air ambulance, medical equipment supply, hospital construction, diagnostics and retail pharmacy services through its various investments.

The Deputy Governor of Ogun State, her Excellency Chief Mrs Yetunde Onanuga and Dr Tomi Coker, Honourable Commissioner for Health were in Ota to flag off the opening of the Drive-in Testing Centre.

Speaking on the rationale for choosing Ota as the location of the Drive-in Centre, her Excellency Chief Mrs Yetunde Onanuga said “Ota was chosen for the project as it is an area of Ogun State that borders Lagos and is therefore deemed to be higher risk. We are committed to the wellbeing of citizens in Ogun and that is why we worked closely with Dr Ola Brown and her team to develop this innovative project.”

Personal protective equipment has been a major expense during the CoVId19 epidemic for developed and developing countries alike. The mobile testing booth not only reduces the need for as much PPE, it also potentially saves millions of naira per day. It reduces the risk of healthcare worker infections by providing a barrier between the potentially infected patient and the healthcare worker taking the sample.

The mobile testing booth is a timely invention as the country has recorded COVID-19 infections in at least 40 medical personnel.

The heavy-duty gloves used to take the samples are sprayed with disinfectant between samples further preventing cross-infection. Dr Ola Brown said in her remarks that “its important that we avoid the situation that occurred in Europe where according to some statistics nearly 10% of healthcare workers contracted the virus. In Nigeria, we need every single healthcare worker health and disease-free if we want to stand a chance to win this war; we have far fewer healthcare workers compared to Europe. That means we have to innovate, embrace new ideas, be agile, smarter and do more with less”.

The Deputy Governor reminded the community members and other stakeholders present of Ogun State’s historical culture of innovation and said “the state will continue to embrace innovative ideas and solutions in health care as well as other sectors.”