Why Delta Govt shut down clinic where Pastor who died from Covid-19 was first admitted

By Atevure Princess,

Facts are beginning to emerge on why the Delta State Government and security officials led by the Chairman of Warri South, Dr Michael Tidi on Friday shut down the clinic where the late pastor Awuta, who died of the COVID-19 complications, was first admitted.

Recall that, Gifted Hands Clinic and Maternity, at Ugbori Street by Ekurede Itsekiri area of Warri was shut down by security and government officials for allegedly breaching National Center for Diseases Control (NCDC), medical protocol in handling cases of COVID-19.

The diseased, a 57-year-old Pastor and the Business Development Manager, BEDC, Warri Area office, who is said to be having underlying health issues was admitted in a private clinic against NCDC/WHO standard protocol for handling pandemic, and later transferred to at the isolation centre of Delta State University Teaching Hospital (DELSUTH), Oghara, where he died.

Speaking on the development, Delta State Commissioner for Information, Mr Charles Aniagwu, stated this while briefing newsmen at Asaba, said, the government took the decision to shut down Gifted Hands Clinic and Maternity because the management breached NCDC Protocol for COVID-19 pandemic.

Aniagwu while appealing to a private health facility in the state to adheres strictly to NCDC/WHO protocol on COVID-19, cautioned that they may be putting the lives of their staffs, families and other Deltans in danger by holding and attending to COVID-19 patients when they lacks the capacity and facility to handle such cases.

He, therefore, urged private hospitals in the state to promptly refer suspected patients showing COVID-19 symptoms to designated holding and isolation centres across the state, where there are facilities and man power to handle their case.

ADVOCATE gathered that Late Pastor Awuta, stays at Post Army Estate, David Ejoors barracks, Effurun, until his death at the isolation centre at DELSUTH, Oghara, on Wednesday, while awaiting the result of his sample from the Irrua Specialist Hospital, in Edo State.

It was also gathered that the State government through the COVID-19 committee has begun contact tracing of the deceased colleagues, church members and domestic staffs for possible quarantine.

However, it has been observed that isolation/holding centres at Ekpan and Warri seem not ready for use should contacts are identified for quarantine.