***PRESS RELEASE

Lagos State Government has received multi million naira state-of-the-art medical and ancillary equipment and consumables from Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company (SNEPCO) to support the fight against COVID 19 in the state.

The donated equipment include a COVID19 compatible Thermo Fisher Real Time PCR Machine with extraction reagents and 2000 test kits for COVID19 molecular screening test; High-Grade Plasma Apheresis Machine that aids the automatic separation of blood plasma for proper management of COVID19 cases and Intensive Care Unit Ambulance and Ventilators.

Others are; Critical Care Hospital Beds and Mattresses; Automatic External Defibrillator Machines; Suction Machines, Infrared Thermometers, Respiratory Nebulizers, Oxygen Cylinders, Concentrators, 30KVA 48Volts Solar Hybrid Solution with 144kWh. Battery storage and 104 pieces of Solar Panels to provide alternative power to the Infectious Disease Hospital;150KVA Generator and medical consumables.

State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi while receiving the equipment at a handover ceremony held at the Infectious Diseases Hospital,Yaba commended NNPC and SNEPCo for extending support to the state government in the fight against the global pandemic. He noted that the generous donation by NNPC and SNEPCO has shown that fights against COVID19 infection should not be left to the government alone.

Abayomi stated further that the State Government on its part will not relent in its efforts and vigilance to keep citizens safe in the face of the threats posed by COVID 19 pandemic. He added that the donated equipment will go a long way in assisting the State government to increase testing capacity and improve management of COVID19 cases.

“We are very happy with the continuous relationship we had with you. It has kept us on our toes. Our job is to bring the outbreak under control and make economic activities continue as best as we can. The government is placing a delicate balance to make sure we have control over public health crisis and at the same time we will not allow it to fall into loss of livelihood”.

“The High-Grade Plasma Apheresis Machine is the latest model of some equipment we have at our facilities and it perform special functions; it can take the whole blood of a patient, replace it, refresh it or change it. This Machine can help us to quickly harvest antibodies from recovered patients and transfused to those struggling for survival. This is a kind of vaccination, we call it passive immunity’’. He said.

The Commissioner however noted that donations of this kind would go a long way in assisting the Government to achieve the overall objective of the health pillar of the present administration’s T.H.E.M.E.S agenda which is to increase the capacity of the healthcare system and infrastructure to sustainably meet the healthcare need of Lagos growing population.

Abayomi added that the donation of the sophisticated equipment speaks to the core of the importance of public-private partnership adding that the present administration will continue to encourage more public-private partnership which will impact positively on the health and wellbeing of citizens.

Earlier in his remarks, the Managing Director of SNEPCo, Mr. Bayo Ojulari commended the State government for measures put in place to combat the COVID19 pandemic noting that the strategies being implemented by the State government has boosted citizens confidence in government to tame the virus.

“The leadership of the State Covid19 response team has enabled us keep hope alive that we shall indeed tame this diseases and resume living safely as we know it”, he said.

Mr. Ojulari however assured that SNEPCo and NNPC remains committed to the health and wellbeing of citizens and will continue to ensure that the health care personnel and support staff who are fighting to contain the spread of the disease can do their jobs professionally and safely.

“With the continuous support of Mr. Governor and the State government, Shell Nigeria Exploration and Company remains committed to the health and wellbeing of our partners and communities and would like, with these donations to support healthcare facilities and ensure that healthcare personnel who are fighting to contain COVID-19, can do their jobs professionally as safely”. He said.