The management of the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) Lokoja has temporally shut down its Accident and Emergency (A/E) Unit for decontamination after unintentionally admitting a COVID-19 patient.
In an internal memo dated June 5th from the Office of the Chief Medical Director to Head of Units, the FMC said this is in response to the latest case of coronavirus in the state.
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) had, on Thursday, announced a fresh case in Kogi to add to the existing two.
Although the health agency didn’t particularly state the circumstances surrounding the infection, it may be connected with the Federal Government-owned medical facility in Lokoja.
According to the memo, a patient “passed” through the FMC’s A/E unit and was subsequently referred to another facility.
However, the other hospital deemed it necessary to request for the patient’s COVID-19 status, of which the result eventually returned positive.
In line with NCDC’s guidelines, the FMC management, among others, directed that;
“The Accident and Emergency (A/E) Unit be closed down for decontamination/fumigation immediately.
” New admissions into the Hospital through A/E remain suspended for now.
“All our staff members who had close contact with the patient that returned positive recently are to be identified and to proceed on 14 days isolation immediately.
” The whole hospital environment will be decontaminated immediately”.
See full memo below:
