Coronavirus: Major reason Lagos isolation centre was shut down revealed

The main reason Lagos isolation centre was shut down in the midst of fighting coronavirus pandemic in Nigeria revealed. 

OnyxNews Nigeria quotes Globalexcellenceonline reporting that Landmark Africa Group, developers of the ambitious Landmark Village in Lagos, has successfully decommissioned the N1.2bn Etiosa Isolation Centre after operating for three months.

This came after the expiration of the three-month agreement between it, the Young Presidents’ Organisation (YPO) and Lagos State Government with more than 300 COVID-19 patients successfully treated.

OnyxNews Nigeria recalled that the Eti-Osa Isolation Centre was put together within 19 days in April to improve the capacity of the state to fight COVID-19.

The 80-bed isolation centre was fully equipped with six ventilators, monitors, respirators, mobile X-rays, ultrasound and oxygen piping as well as all other auxiliary medical and non-medical facilities.

The Centre also had 97 clinical and 45 operational staff who all had undergone regular training once the centre began operations to treat moderately to very sick COVID-19 patients.

Speaking after the decommissioning of the centre, the CEO of Landmark Africa, Paul Onwuanibe said the organisation was privileged to support the war against coronavirus in Lagos State.

Onwuanibe in a statement said: “The isolation centre recorded truly remarkable stories of success, like the 98-year-old grandmother who was successfully treated and discharged.

“We consider it a privilege to have been part of the valiant efforts to curtail the spread of the virus in Lagos State.

“All the equipment and furniture within the isolation centre will now be donated to the Lagos State Government to improve healthcare service delivery after the centre is decommissioned,” he said.

Addressing decommissioning process, Dr. Richard Ajayi, Member, Steering Committee of the YPO and Founder of the Bridge Clinic, on his part said a world-class decontamination firm, Boeker Public Health Services was engaged for disinfecting the structure using WHO-approved protocols.

Head of Projects at Landmark Africa, Enyinna Okorafor, in his comments stressed that the business, leisure and lifestyle property development organisation with over 100,000 sqm of prime real estate across Lagos thoroughly planned the Isolation Centre to co-exist independently with general business activities within the Landmark Village.

His words: “From putting up the entire structure speedily to world-class standards, to putting in place specific safety measures which ensured that we have zero cases of cross-contamination, to the decommissioning phase.

“Landmark’s processes ensured that the siting of the Isolation Centre had indeed contributed significantly to the fight against COVID in Lagos State.”