Oyo State bans private health facilities from treating COVID-19 cases

The Oyo state Technical Task Force on COVID-19 has banned private health facilities from treating COVID-19 cases.

The directive was given in a statement by Taiwo Adisa, the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Seyi Makinde on behalf of the Chairman of the state’s COVID-19 Technical Task Force, Prof. Temitope Alonge.

The statement linked the increased spread of COVID-19 among healthcare workers to the management of the virus by private health facilities.

“No private health facility in Oyo state has been licensed to manage COVID-19 patients. Strict adherence to the laid down infection prevention and control measures will be enforced by the EOC at any private health facility,” the statement quoted Mr. Alonge as saying.

He also said, “I wish to inform you that there are reports of an increase in the number of healthcare workers who have contracted coronavirus infection at various healthcare facilities”.

The statement added that the state cannot afford to lose more healthcare workers to the dreaded infection hence, all suspected cases of coronavirus should be reported to the 30 testing centres approved for testing samples of the virus. These centres are free for both symptomatic and asymptomatic cases.