Edo government is deploying 150 medical personnel to offer “essential medical services and other measures” to check Covid-19 outbreak during the National Sports Festival to hold in the state.
Chairman of the festival’s local organizing committee, Philip Shaibu, told journalists in Benin City that organisers have procured five scanners and iInfrared thermometers to be stationed at the stadiums and the Benin Airport to check for high body temperature of athletes and spectators during the games.
Contingents will be screened having access into the city and the games village where they will be accommodated.
He said they will commence daily screening for all the athletes and officials before every game, adding that they have two isolation wards put in place for eventualities.”
He said the committee was in talks with the Federal Ministry of Youths and Sports, and the Main Organising Committee (MOC) to decide whether to allow foreign athletes to take part in the games.
On his part, Chairman, Chairman, Medical Sub-Committee of the LOC, Darlington Obaseki, said a comprehensive medical centre would be mounted at the games’ village, Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium as well as accommodation halls for athletes and coaches.
Prof Obaseki who is the Chief Medical Director, University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), said, “30 mobile medical units had been constituted and would be stationed at the different sporting arenas, and will be supported with 10 ambulances with effective communication system to go around the different game centres,”
Representative of the Chief Medical Director of Irrua Special Teaching Hospital, Prof. Danny Asogun said test kits are available at the hospital to test samples for coronavirus and give results within eight hours.