Follow Us on Google
From Ighomuaye Lucky, Benin
The Chief Medical Director (CMD), University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), Prof Darlington Obaseki, has cautioned Nigerians to adhere strictly to NCDC COVID-19 guidelines and protocols to avert what is currently happening in India, saying the virus is still spreading.
He said this while flagging off the 2021 World Hands Hygiene Day, with the theme, “Achieving health hygiene at the point of care”, at the premises of the hospital in Benin City.
‘We have decided as a management team to mark it in this manner because the importance of hygiene in this period we are in cannot be overemphasised. It is very apt, and we all realise what is going on in India; I must quickly mention that because so many of us believe that we are through with the worse. I pray we are, I pray what is happening in India doesn’t get here, but that can only be achieved if we keep doing the right thing, wearing our face mask, washing our hands regularly,’ Prof Obaseki said.
Stressing the importance of hand washing, the CMD said UBTH has helped to curtail the spread of infectious diseases and that the hospital has kept to that principle while dealing with its patients even in the midst of a pandemic.
‘We can’t overemphasise the importance of health hygiene and hand washing in this period.
‘We all know that we are still in the midst of the global COVID-19 pandemic. And we all know that COVID-19 is transmitted mostly through droplets transmission, contact transmission, that is, making contact with the infected person or surfaces via your hands to your face, your mouth, nose and your eyes.
‘So, washing your hands regularly with soap and water cannot be overemphasised in curtailing the spread of infectious pathogens, including the SARS contained virus, responsible for the spread of COVID-19,’ he said.
Prof Obaseki stated that winning the war against the dreaded COVID-19 pandemic should be a collective effort, and that if everyone does their part, the disease would be put at bay.
‘Our responsibility as policy makers, health administrators, managers and even as individuals, in this regard, can’t be overstated.
‘We all have a responsibility to ensure that we comply, especially in a health care setting where we are encouraged to reduce general transmission of infections between patients, from patients to health care workers and from health care workers to health care workers by washing our hands before we touch our patients, after we touch our patients environment and before we even leave the hospital at the close of work,’ he said.
