Covid-19: FCT Minister Inspects Possible 300 Bed Space Facility

The FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello on Wednesday, 25th of March, in the company of senior officials of the FCTA inspected a five story building that can serve as an isolation and treatment facility for COVID 19 patients, should the need arise in the FCT.

Inspecting the building located at the Idu area of the FCT, Malam Bello noted that the building would be ideal for an isolation and treatment facility.

“The most critical thing is that this place has a lot of space. We are talking of five floors. I don’t think the whole of Abuja will have a hospital facility that can accommodate up to five floors. More importantly, there is power here constantly, and there is adequate water supply.” Bello stressed

On suitablity of the facility for an isolation center, the Minister pointed out that relevant health authorities will further inspect the facility to determine its suitability.

“I leave it now for the officials of the Federal Ministry of Health, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control NCDC and of course our public health officials. Jointly, they will decide what needs to be done here and we have a lot of commitment from the private sector organizations who are willing to support the national efforts to fight this disease. Once they all agree, I’m sure that within a very short period of time, this place can be made functional”

The Acting Secretary of Health and Human Services Secretariat, Dr Muhammed Kawu said the building was very appropriate.

The Director of Public Health, Dr Josephine Okechukwu said the structure was ideal and would serve the purpose as a treatment center.

She said “this is a perfect place that we have been looking for and it’s quite good. It’s a new structure with so many available rooms that we can fix up for now as a holding centre or a treatment centre if need be.

The FCT Administration’s move to secure a possible isolation center with more bed space was part of its concerted preparedness plan to contain the spread of COVID-19 in the FCT, in case there was an escalation in the number of patients.

Remi Johnson/Abuja