The private sector Coalition Against COVID-19 (CACOVID), on Tuesday, fulfilled its pledge to the Lagos State Government by donating 260 medical oxygen gas cylinders and a newly purchased Incinerator to Yaba Isolation centre in Lagos.
Speaking to media at the commissioning of the Incinerator and presentation of gas cylinders to Lagos State government, Managing Director and CEO of Aliko Dangote Foundation, who doubles as an administrator of CACOVID, Zouera Youssoufou said, though a total number of 260 gas cylinders of different sizes were donated to the Lagos State government including incinerator, for now, CACOVID will do more to assist the LASG and other states across the country to ensure that the fight against the deadly coronavirus is finally won.
She explained that incineration is a waste treatment process that involves the combustion of organic substances contained in waste materials and will eradicate the risk of the waste from the isolation centre in the community.
She also noted that the incinerator can be moved from one centre to another and it can serve all isolation centres in the State.
Expressing deepest appreciation of the state government to all the members of the CACOVID team, Commissioner for Health for Lagos State, Dr Akinola Abayomi applauded the prompt intervention of the team, at the time the state was in dire need of both oxygen and its cylinders. He said CACOVID showed up at a time oxygen cylinders were so hard to find and for this, the State will remain very appreciative of the kind gesture.
Abayomi noted that CACOVID has always come to the support of the government. On the demand for Oxygen, he said that “Our demand has not exceeded our supply,” saying that the logistics behind oxygen is quite complex and sophisticated. He noted that Lagos State is building capacity, adding that “Building our oxygen logistics and we are about to commission a new oxygen plant in Gbagada.”
He also pointed out the waste that comes out of the isolation, the centre is biomedical waste, which is toxic to humans, saying that the incinerator will reduce its potential risk on the community and this can be used for the next 50 years.
Youssoufou recently said the provision of oxygen to all the isolation centres across the country was made possible by a key partner of CACOVID, Mr Raj Gupta of African Industries Group, at no costs, immediately the request for oxygen was made from the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19.
Chairman of African Industries Group, Mr Raj Gupta promised that his company will continue to provide oxygen free of charge to all the states across the country, through CACOVID.
He said: “We will continue to support Nigeria with oxygen for free for as long as this is required. No COVID patient in any public hospital or isolation centre should have to pay for oxygen.”