COVID-19: Governors’ Forum restates commitment to welfare, safety of health workers

The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) has expressed commitment to the welfare and safety of health workers on the front line in combating the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19).

The governors expressed commitment in a communiqué issued by the NGF Chairman and Governor of Ekiti State, Dr Kayode Fayemi, in Abuja on Wednesday after the forum’s seventh teleconference meeting on COVID-19.

Fayemi said that the governors were collaborating with the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) to provide training for health workers on infectious disease control and prevention.

He said that there were a presentations by Dr Francis Adedayo Faduyile, President, Nigerian Medical Association; and Sam Ohuabunwa, President, Federation of Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria at the meeting.

The body also had a presentation by Mr Abdulrafiu Adeniji, President, National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM).

Fayemi said: “The governors assured the associations of their commitment to ensure that health workers, who were in the frontline of the epidemic are not left behind in the areas of welfare and safety.

“Governors are committed to ensuring that Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) are available in all general hospitals and health facilities.

“Members are collaborating with the NCDC to provide training for health workers, including their capacity to use telemedicine, infectious disease control and prevention and the use of PPE to stem the spread of the virus to health workers.

“In the light of rising cases of infections among health workers, state governments will engage with their health workers to provide other incentives, including insurance cover or allowances as may be required.”

Fayemi noted that he briefed the forum on coordination efforts with the Federal Government, multilateral and bilateral partners, and the private sector through the Coalition Against COVID-19 (CACOVID).

He said that the governors expressed appreciation to the private sector coalition for the provision of palliatives to households and testing facilities to help curb the spread of the virus.

“The forum also got update from the Governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, who heads the committee that liaises with development partners.

“In response to the fiscal impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on states, NGF Secretariat will provide technical assistance to state governments to establish common macro-economic assumptions that will help states prepare revised budgets for 2020,” Fayemi said.

He said that the governors, after their interactive session with Alhaji Aliko Dangote, President of the Dangote Group, who joined in the teleconference, commended him for his increasing involvement in the fight against COVID-19 in the country.

Fayemi said that the governors pledged to provide logistics support to ensure that palliatives get to the people who need them.

He, however, expressed the governors’ concern with the continued movement of people across states, in spite of the enforcement of inter-state lockdowns across the country.

“The forum will collaborate with the Nigeria Police to provide increased security, as well as the National Union of Road Transport Workers and LGA Chairmen in the states to strengthen security surveillance along state boarders,” he said.