A total of 342 medical personnel have been trained at the grassroots level by Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, prior to the index case of the Coronavirus, COVID 19, in Lagos.

LASEMA Director General, Dr. Femi Oke-Osanyintolu said the training which focused on preparedness and response mechanisms, was done in collaboration with the Primary Health Care (PHC) Board across the 20 Local Government and 37 Council Areas of the state.

Oke-Osanyintolu said LASEMA identifies and trained five first responders within the Early Warning System at the grassroots for a defined escalation system.

He said the agency remained committed to supporting the Ministry of Health with its resources such as ambulance and paramedic support with appropriate safety protocols for the movement of suspected and or confirmed cases.

“In line with best practice, agency personnel are working on advice and information for advocacy. These include a reminder that those who have the following indications should contact the identified helplines as well as the emergency numbers:

“Fever or symptoms of respiratory illness (e.g., cough or shortness of breath) in someone who’s had close contact with another person with a positive COVID-19 test result;

“Fever and symptoms of respiratory illness severe enough to require hospitalisation in someone who traveled to a country with widespread or sustained community transmission of COVID-19; fever and severe pneumonia requiring hospitalisation without an alternative explanatory diagnosis (such as the flu),” he said.

Oke-Osanyintolu said testing locations have been identified and clear routes for retrieving self-reported cases established.

“We have established clear action plan for retrieval of self-reported cases for testing and infection controls using the previously developed Ebola crisis management plan. We will be upgrading the protective gear and decontamination protocols for all our personnel. We remain on standby to support all responders across stakeholder agencies,” said Oke-Osanyintolu.