A’Ibom Model Isolation Centre To Serve Utility Medical Purposes In Future -Ephraim Inyang-eyen

The ongoing 300-bed Isolation Center embarked upon by Governor Udom Emmanuel at Methodist Hospital, Ituk Mbang in Uruan Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State is smartly designed to serve both emergency situation during outbreak of pandemic and other medical needs of the hospital in normal times.

According to the state Commissioner for works, Mr Ephraim Inyang-eyen who is overseeing the project, the facility with an isolation hall, one-storey doctors’ quarters, laboratory, office of the chief medical director and canteen among others, is the first of its kind in the country.

Inyang-eyen, who was given marching orders by the governor to deliver the project within one month explained, “We have the best of the equipment and we have assembled enough materials to aid the speed. By next week, we will get enough capable carpenters to roof the isolation centre.

“We are in a hurry to deliver the project. Government never anticipated a pandemic of this magnitude. Coronavirus was not in our budget but it came suddenly. And because it is a global problem confronting human race, the government of Mr Udom Emmanuel is confronting it as an emergency situation.”

Throwing more light on the progress of the job, the commissioner said, “Owing to the challenges of the lockdown, the governor personally called his Cross River State counterpart to allow us access stones and granite needed for the project from Akamkpa in Cross River State. That is how serious government takes the project. This place is intended to be used as a major Isolation Centre in the state and probably the best in the country.

“The structures which are solidly constructed will accommodate about 300 patients with all necessary facilities inside. Everything needed to complete the project are on ground. The governor should be back exactly in the second week from the day he visited last to receive the project and declare it open for public use.”

Mr Ephraim Inyang-eyen highlighted that only a caring government like that of Gov Emmanuel will embark on the project he describes as futuristic and a great boost to health sector development.

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He noted that the government has in response of the hardship occasioned by the pandemic given out sizeable amount of palliatives to the citizens calling on well-meaning individuals and organizations to assist the people in this dire times.

On the challenges of food crisis which may surface after the pandemic, the commissioner advised the people to embark on farming and other agricultural related activities to keep afloat.

He said, “Well, let’s call a spade a spade. There will be challenges because most of our people depend and live on daily income. That is why when they are asked to stay at home and stay safe; they refused because they earn their living from daily struggles and activities. The problem now is that several projects are also shut down. So if government is shut down as well as other major players in the economy including the banks; if you are a regular business man, who do you transact business with again?

“Secondly, I think Nigeria should take advantage of this time to return to farm and grow food to avoid the crisis of hunger. Our problem is that people abandoned farming for other jobs. Most young men and women avoid farming which will only compound the problem. As a younger person in my community then, we planted all manner of food crops which we harvested from time to time, eat to survive because we are not born with silver spoons.

“Therefore, the answer to the situation we have now found ourselves is to go back and start basic farming to avert food crisis. We must take advantage of the present predicament to massively return to farming.”