The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has said the state government is taking appropriate measures to check the spread of epidemics, drawing from the experiences in managing the first wave of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in the state.
In a statement to commemorate the maiden International Day of Epidemic Preparedness, by the United Nations, to be marked every December 27, Governor Obaseki said Edo State has set up robust mechanisms and networks to curb the outbreak of epidemics in the future.
According to him, “As we mark the maiden International Day of Epidemic Preparedness, it is pertinent to state that we have garnered ample experience from efforts to check the spread of COVID-19. With lessons learnt from managing the first wave, we have built systems and networks to confront the second wave of the deadly disease in the state, even as we continue to urge residents to take personal responsibility in halting the spread of the virus.”
He said, “As we expand the capacity of the state’s health sector, we will continue to leverage on our healthcare workforce to manage future disease outbreaks. This pool of health professionals leads critical community engagement and disease surveillance efforts that contribute to our relative success in the first wave.”
He said, “I commend the foresight of the United Nations in setting a day aside to allow stakeholders reflect on the need to develop workable frameworks to check future epidemics.”
“Aside ensuring that health workers are assisted with the basic tools to enable them to do their job better in curbing the spread of COVID-19, we are recruiting more professionals in specialised areas of medicine which will enable us to build a formidable workforce against future outbreaks of pandemics,” he added.
According to the WHO, December 27 was set aside to underscore the need to learn lessons from the coronavirus pandemic, while urging greater investments in ensuring preparedness to confront future health emergencies.
