COVID – 19: FCT Minister increase isolation centres, set to enforce lockdown
The Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Muhammad Bello has included the Asokoro district hospital, Idu Centre and Karu General hospital as an isolation and treatment centre to curtail the spread of the corona virus in the Federal Capital Territory.
The Minister disclosed this in Abuja on Thursday at FCT Abuja COVID-19 Media briefing by the Ministerial Advisory Committee on COVID-19 in FCT.
According to Muhammad Bello, the Asokoro district hospital has now been converted to an isolation centre with fully kitted facilities that can cater for 100 patients.
He added that the Idu Centre and Kari has also been converted to an isolation centre
“In addition to the Asokoro isolation and treatment centre, we now have the Idu isolation and treatment centre which can accommodate up to 300 patients.”
“Our General hospital located in Karu is currently being refurbished to give additional space.”
“Apart from the isolation and treatment centre at the university of Abuja teaching hospitals, we have converted the Asokoro district hospital as an isolation and treatment centre that can cater for up to 100 patients, a large number who can now be catered for should any incident arises.”
“Overall. I think within the next few days, we should be able to have available 600 bed capacity”. He added.
Meanwhile, Mohammed noted that the Presidential lockdown order in FCT is still in full force though there has been compliance in some suburbs of the city but some locations still continue with there normal business activities.
He however warned residents who refuse to comply to get ready to face the full wrath of the law as stiffer measures will henceforth be taken to ensure compliance
“Following the Presidential directive on the movement in Fct, Ogun and Lagos, which we working seriously to ensure its effectiveness.
“I want to once more reiterate that the lockdown is aimed to protect the spread of the virus in our communities, violation of this directives will give us no choice but to employ stiffer measures of enforcement in the FCT.”
The Minister added that the FCT does not have the authority to take any decision in the lockdown unilaterally, but awaits the directive from the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and the Federal Ministry of Health on such decision.
The Minister of State, FCT, Dr. Ramatu Romania on her part noted that over 600,000 families in the FCT will receive the palliative measures being provided by the FCT.
Dr. Tijani assured that the relief materials will be distributed accordingly to various area centres within the FCT which they will ensure that it gets to the families without a third party interference to ensure accountability and transparency.
The Minister while thanking the ministerial advisory for a job well done so far also appealed to FCT residents who are donating to do such in a coordinated manner to ensure that support goes as appropriate for distribution
“I want to also use this medium to thank the ministerial advisory expert committee for the good job done and continue to work harder and extend our work deeper so that God willing within the next few weeks we see the end of the pandemic”(
“I want to reiterate that in this fight against COVID -19, we should do this together to end this pandemic, we should all ensure personal hygiene and most importantly, social distancing”.