Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti
Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, yesterday said arrangements have been finalised for the take-off of the state’s testing centre, adding that testing for the virus would commence at the centre before the end of the week.
Fayemi disclosed this during an on-the-spot assessment of facilities at the expanded Infectious Diseases Unit at the Oba Adejugbe General Hospital, Ado-Ekiti.
“This week, we will be formally launching our testing centre at the teaching hospital. So, I’m confirming it to you,” Fayemi told journalists after the inspection.
He explained that the testing centre would help the state to test as many people as possible and boost government’s efforts to contain the spread of the virus in the state.
The governor added that the expansion of the state’s isolation centre to a 100 -bed capacity is a proactive step to prepare against a possible surge in the number of patients
The governor, who put the present capacity of the centre for COVID-19 patients at 10 beds, stated that the state already has 10 active patients, while the results of some contacts were being expected.
The development, according to him, has justified government’s plan to expand the centre to a 100-bed capacity.
“We are expanding our infectious diseases hospital bed space, as you know we have just ten-bed space in the one we are using now but there is an increase and we have to prepare for the worse while we hope for the best.
“We want a reduction in the number of positive patients in the state, but right now, we have about 10 active cases; that means that all our beds there are fully occupied. So, we have had to then expand to a 100- bed space. So, if we have any additional patients, we are prepared for them”
