The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) team has on Monday arrived Cross River State for an on-ground inspection and assessment of the states' facility as well as it's zero COVID-19 status. Addressing the team, Dr Beta Edu, the Cross River Commissioner for Health said the state has been proactive towards the pandemic even before the first recorded case in Nigeria.
She urged the Federal Government and the NCDC to extend their support to the state particularly the International borders and it's a laboratory at the Infectious Disease Hospital (IDH).
"It should be noted that Cross River was the first state to start the no mask, no movement policy, we blocked all borders too, very early and we were carrying out drills twice a day and later reduced it to once a day as part of proactive measures.
"We want to make it known that we are not at loggerheads with the Federal government or NCDC we are just protecting the interest of Cross Riverians," she said.
"We are partnering with UCTH and all medical and para-medical associations including Nigeria Medical Association, NMA, Medical Laboratory laboratory Scientists, nurses and pharmacists in the area of training and retraining for efficiency and quality service delivery as it concerns COVID-19."
She further noted that the state has 50 monitoring teams at border communities to check the influx and movement of people into the country. Also, 3 Isolations centres and a 120-bed space has been made available in any case of an infection.
The NCDC team leader, Dr. Omobolanle Olowu commended the Governor of the State for the proactive measure put in place to combat the pandemic.
"There was a lot of anxiety before coming to Cross River, but I am glad we were given a warm reception.
"We are surprised at the level of work that has been put in place so far, all the people we saw were all on nose masks with different teams at various points in the state.
"We had the fear of being quarantined but all that is over now as nothing like that happened, we want to believe the measured pitch in place by the state has made the status (COVID-19) free," she said.
