Unical COVID-19 committee seeks C’ River PHC collaboration

The University of Calabar COVID-19 Task Force Committee has sought collaboration with the Cross River Primary Healthcare Agency (CRPHA) to control and manage the pandemic on its campus.

The university has announced Feb. 5 as the date for resumption of academic activities.

Dr Kingsley Akaba, the university’s COVID-19 taskforce Chairman, expressed the agency’s desire for the collaboration on Tuesday in Calabar during a courtesy call on its Director-General, Dr Janet Ekpenyong.

Akaba said that the committee needed the support of the agency to have academic session free from the pandemic.

He noted that the agency played a critical role in healthcare delivery at the community level and the university would also need its support and collaboration.

He said: “COVID-19 has ravaged the world. We have lost almost one academic year due to the outbreak of the pandemic.

“We are here today to seek collaboration and support because we want to have a seamless academic session as students prepare to resume school.

“On our path, with the support of the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Florence Obi, we have already set modalities in place that will help us to effectively implement the COVID-19 protocols on campus.”

Responding, Ekpenyong expressed happiness that schools had resumed in order to keep the students engaged.

She told the committee that the state had been proactive in the fight against the pandemic through the enforcement of policy on wearing of nose mask and ban on large gatherings.

“For us as an agency, we are going to share our experience and template with the committee to serve as a guide in the implementation of the protocols on campus.

“I want to advise the committee to set up a mini-isolation centre on campus with a view to managing any suspected case that may be detected.

“Also, you must do a lot of awareness campaign and advocacy to continuously instill the habbit of taking preventive measures in the students, staff and entire Unical community,” she said.

The director general assured the committee of the agency’s support and urged it to strengthen the university’s medical centre as students return to school.