Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu told newsmen Tuesday that the demand for oxygen at the Infectious Disease Hospital in Yaba had risen from 70 to 350 cylinders per day.
He said the demand was projected to be more than double to 750 six-litre cylinders before the end of the month.
He said the state government had decentralized the availability of oxygen across the state through the provision of ten oxygen and sampling kiosks.
He assured that oxygen therapy and other related services would be provided to patients that required them.
“Five of these tem centers have been commissioned while the remaining five will be ready for use within the next four weeks.
“It is our expectation that these sampling kiosks would be easily accessible to residents that require oxygen therapy at the level of LGAs as stabilization points prior to onward transmission to our Isolation centres, if required.
This strategy is to further increase the fighting chance of Lagos residents that have contracted the virus and require immediate oxygen therapy.
As a result of the increasing demand for oxygen, the Lagos State Government also commissioned an oxygen plant at the Yaba Mainland Hospital to mitigate the projected need,” he said.
Sanwo-Olu said while the state was closely monitoring ongoing action by the Federal Government to procure COVID-19 vaccines for use in Nigeria, his government had opened discussions with vaccine manufacturers to cater for Lagosians.
“In the meantime we are developing a strategy that will articulate the criteria, guidelines and regulatory framework for providing and monitoring vaccinations in Lagos,” he added
He noted that the second wave of COVID-19 was turning out to be far more serious than the first wave; he said the curve could be flatted and the virus defeated if Lagosians take seriously, the safety guidelines.
