UCH shuts outpatient clinics over suspected cases

• Varsities begin production of hand sanitisers in C’River, Anambra
• SSSDO canvasses radio programme to cushion effects of schools closure on students

The University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan has reversed its earlier decision to keep the hospital open following reports of suspected cases of COVID-19 among some of its medical doctors.

A report by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) indicated that the outpatients (OPD) clinics including Medicine, Surgery and Children Out Patients Departments of the hospital have been shut down.

It was, however, observed that the hospital’s accident and emergency departments were open and healthcare workers, including doctors and nurses were sighted rendering services.

Its main Pharmacy Department was open, but rendering only skeletal services to patients with prescriptions, just as workers on essential duty were also cleaning frequently touched surfaces and handrails at intervals.

Some patients who had appointments looked confused and disappointed over the unexpected shutdown of the outpatient clinics, as one of the nurses, who declined giving her name, said she had lost count of the number of patients she had turned back.

Speaking, the Chief Medical Director (CMD) of UCH, Professor Jesse Otegbayo, said closing the outpatient clinic became necessary to reduce the risk of a Coronavirus epidemic within the hospital community.

Besides, the Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Calabar, Cross River State has commenced the production of hand sanitisers to help curb the spread of Coronavirus.Dean of the Faculty, Professor Mba Femi-Oyewo, while displaying the sanitisers in Calabar yesterday, explained that the effort was to “save members of the University community from exploitation by traders.”

Also, Vice Chancellor of the university, Professor Zana Akpagu, who also spoke on the initiative, said the authority took the step as part of its responsibility as a research centre.

Akpagu noted that the institution was ready to partner with the government and other relevant agencies in finding a lasting solution to the spread of the virus nationwide.
Besides, the Chukwumeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital (COOUTH), Awka, Anambra State, has commenced production of personal hygiene products in response to the COVID-19 outbreak in Nigeria.

Chief Medical Director (CMD) of COOUTH, Dr. Basil Nwankwo disclosed this, while receiving medical equipment donated by the Emeka Offor Foundation in Awka.Nwankwo said the products, which included hand sanitisers, hand soaps and bleach were for internal use in the hospital and would also be available to members of the public, adding that the materials would go a long way in assisting people in the state.

Meanwhile, the South Saharan Social Development Organisation (SSSDO) has asked governments to use radio school programme to reduce the impact of the education emergency and schools closure necessitated by COVID-19 on students.

It stated that shut down of primary, secondary schools and universities have practically halted all learning activities by children in the country, stressing that the development could increase Nigeria’s out of school population if adequate measures were not taken to contain it.

Executive Director of the SSSDO, Dr. Stanley Ilechukwu, therefore, suggested a radio school programme to breach the gap, adding that that a similar initiative, which ran in Enugu and Adamawa states between 2016 and 2018 and funded by the MacArthur Foundation, helped to improve learning and teaching in the states.