Adamawa LG chairmen vow to tackle COVID-19, adopt action plans

Chairmen of the 21 local government areas of Adamawa State, have adopted resolutions and action plans to contain the spread of the deadly COVID-19 pandemic in the state.

The resolutions and action plans were adopted during an engagement between the 21 LG chairmen and other critical stakeholders in Yola, Wednesday aimed at curtailing the spread of the disease.

The meeting was organised by the Adamawa State Primary Healthcare Development Agency (ASPHCDA) and funded by UNICEF.

The resolutions adopted include; encouraging school principals and teachers to adopt general use of facemasks in schools; printing and distribution of COVID-19 IPC protocols for adoption in all schools, markets, religious houses and offices; encouraging community testing and establishment of communication between EOC and local government chairmen.

Others are; creation of multi-sectoral school COVID-19 compliance monitoring teams; establishment of COVID-19 monitoring teams in schools; monitoring of compliance of minimum standard in line with COVID-19 protocols; conducting regular disinfection of places regularly touched, like door handles etc; supporting and monitoring of school health teams to conduct health talks and establishment of functional waste disposal systems in schools.

The rest are; protection of well being of children in schools; establishment of one point entry into schools; support schools to establish remedial classes and supporting of schools to distribute instructional materials.

Speaking earlier, the executive chairman of Adamawa State Primary Healthcare Development Agency Dr. Sulaiman Said Bashir extolled the chairmen for the critical role they are playing in stemming the spread of the deadly virus.

He particularly acknowledged the support the chairmen have been rendering in the fight against COVID-19 in the areas of logistics, sample testing and other vital areas adding that such support has recorded the desired premium as Adamawa State is still one of the states with the lowest infections in the country.

Bashir noted that the meeting is critical in view of the reopening of schools and other government agencies adding that in order to avoid a second wave, a lot of sensitization must be carried out.

Also speaking, representative of UNICEF, Innocent Udemezue acknowledged the vital roles which the local governments have been playing in resolving critical challenges faced by the people at the grassroot level.

He noted that the key roles played by the LG chairmen led to the defeat of the polio virus in Nigeria adding that for any meaningful achievement to be recorded in the fight against COVID-19, the LG chairmen must be captured.

Also commenting, a WHO official, Dr. Jerry Pantuvo noted that the involvement of the chairmen in the fight against the dreaded virus is vital in order to stem the tide of community transmission.

He said the fact that so many people are not dying did not suggest that COVID-19 is not spreading rampantly, adding that the only way that the potency or otherwise of the disease could be established is through testing.