Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has commissioned a Permanent Triage and Oxygen Therapy Centre at Eti-Osa Local Government to provide swift emergency oxygen therapy to residents who require such service.

The facility, which doubles as a COVID-19 sample collection centre, is located within the premises of the Eti-Osa Maternal and Child Care Centre and is one of 10 others strategically located in 10 local governments of the State with a high burden of COVID-19 cases.

Speaking during the official launch of the facility, Sanwo-Olu disclosed that the need to better manage severe-to-critical COVID-19 cases spurred the State government to build and deploy the oxygen therapy centres in 10 high burden local government areas.

According to him, “One of the strategies adopted in response to the recent increase in COVID-19 infection is the provision of the COVID-19 Permanent Sample Collection Triage and Oxygen Therapy Centres in 10 local government areas across Lagos to support patients with oxygen before they are transferred to care centres”.

The Governor, who was represented by the State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, explained that the project which was handled by super-fast project management is inevitable to prepare against the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in the State.

He stated further that the facility could not have come at a better time than now, when the State is recording an increase in the number of people presenting with difficulty in breathing and requiring urgent oxygen therapy.

Sanwo-Olu noted that with the construction and decentralisation of the Triage and Oxygen Therapy Centres, citizens requiring oxygen therapy would not have to travel a long distance to Mainland Infectious Disease Hospital to access care, stressing that patients requiring oxygen treatment in Eti-Osa can walk to the centre for treatment and care.

The Governor explained that the facility which is a permanent facility will be an addition to the existing infrastructure in the hospital, noting that the facility after the pandemic can be used for other medical purposes.

He said other Permanent Triage and Oxygen Therapy Centres, located in Alimosho, Isolo, Surulere, Gbagada, Ifako-Ijaiye, Ibeju-Lekki, Apapa, Mushin and Amuwo-Odofin areas of the State, are almost completed and would be activated in two weeks.