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From Judex Okoro, Calabar
The Vice Chancellor of the University of Calabar, Professor Florence Obi, has inaugurated a 20-bed Isolation Bay in the institution to cater for possible COVID-19 cases.
The Bay, which is located around Malabor Republic in the institution, is a double tent made of 10 beds each for male and female patients.
Speaking during the inauguration which was performed by the Cross River State Commissioner for Health, Betta Edu, Professor Obi said the institution took a risk by opening, but ensured there were proactive measures in place to ensure there is no outbreak of the virus in the institution.
“We took proactive measures to put in place equipments, sensitization and stand out as one of the few universities that took the risk of reopening fully for academic activities.
“We have out place modalities to ensure the institution has a test centre in the medical centre,” she stated.
Also Speaking, the commissioner for health, Dr. Betta Edu, commended the institution for the feat saying the VC has changed the dynamics of COVID-19 response in Nigeria.
“This will give confidence to the parents that their children are in safe hands as well as the students who can now concentrate on their studies.
‘The campus will also serve as a sample collection centre and students who want to get tested will undergo the test without being charged”, she said.
She advocated for a decentralization of COVID-19 response at all levels and said with the level of sensitization they will have little use of the place because information is power.
The chairman of the UNICAL COVID-19 taskforce, Dr. Akaba Kingsley, said they are happy for accomplishing the feat within three weeks.
He said this is the first stage, and the second stage is how to equip the tent and then the functionality of the tent.
