Ekiti safe and prepared to contain any epidemic outbreak – Yaya-Kolade

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Since she assumed leadership in the state health sector,Dr Mojisola Yaya-Kolade has brought her wealth of experience which spanned three decades both local and international to bear on the heath challenges and development in Ekiti state.
As a trained and certified Nurse,Pharmacist and Doctor of Medicine,she knows her onions when it comes to health care and delivery having practised both at home and abroad where she trained both as a pharmacist and medical doctor and practised in world acclaimed institution. Her sense of preparation both for preventive and curative medicine has made her state able to stand and ready for any eventuality in the ever challenging health issues with a supportive Governor at the helm.
She spoke on efforts to enhance health delivery in the state and prevent outbreak of Coronavirus which by far represent biggest challenge even to the World health Organisation in this on line interview with Tunde Abatan. Excerpts:
Q. What has been the response of the populace to preventive measures against Lassa fever especially the recently concluded stakeholder’s awareness?

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A. Ekiti State residents has the majority of her population aware of government efforts to prevent against Lassa fever. After the stake holder’s awareness, the attitude of hand washing and cleaning of environment by the people has improved.
In this regard,the state government recently distributed free hand sanitizers to all public primary and secondary schools and palaces in the state as one of the measures avoid contact with those who might have been infected by Coronavirus or any other such disease.
The state government has also set up a 40-man task force committee headed by the state Governor,Dr Kayode Fayemi himself and with this we are commuted to ensure that Ekiti state is free from the dreaded Coronavirus although we have not received any penny from the federal government.
Q. What are the state’s efforts to improve maternal and child care?
A. The Ekiti State Government under the leadership of Dr. Kayode Fayemi has made a lot of efforts and commitment in terms of logistics to the health sector and to sensitize the general public on maternal and child health care.

Q. Infant mortality has been a challenge in the country what has been your experience in Ekiti state. Has the government reduced the scourge?
A. Oh Yes, before the coming of this present administration, the rate of infant mortality in 2016 was _351/100,000 live births, but now I can proudly tell you that is has reduced drastically to 289/100,000live births while the rate of Perinatal mortality rate dropped from 53/1000, to 52/1000 live births. This is impressive and highly commendable.

Q. Would you say the state has achieved much on mitigating preventable diseases like polio eradication etc.?
A. Yes, Ekiti State government has achieved a lot, polio vaccination in Ekiti State is second to none and this has earned the state overall best in polio eradication in the recent years because of the consistency of the Kayode Fayemi led administration on this.

What is d level of the state’s performance on primary health care, the absence of which is imparting negatively on the state health delivery?

What would you say is responsible for global health epidemics and challenges like Coronavirus etc.?How could Africa and indeed Nigeria mitigate against its spread?
The Effect of COVID I9 is minimal here if it has any at all because we are yet to experience any outbreak
In other countries of the World,the financial ,Social and Health impact is much.For instance,in the North East of America, the impact is Virtually of a dead country. It is so scary that nobody is seen roaming the Street in the City that Never sleeps . it is that bad that Weddings and other events are cancelled,no social gathering of any form.Indeed,New York has is First death .
But the important thing is that the Conovarious has build a consensus in health matters.
What concerns us as we continue to monitor what is happening around the World is that we especially in Ekiti state has to take practical steps to ensure prevention and early detection of the near epidemy
We already out in place measures to quarantine any potentially infected individual .We have also out in place treatment or Case Management of Confirmed Cases and we have also done what we refer to as Contact tracing when needed.

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