Lagos State Government, on Wednesday, said that it has adopted internationally-accepted safety protocols in curbing the spread of the Coronavirus across the State, just as it launched the deployment of 100 units Hand Washing Stations produced by the State Government, in collaboration with Procter and Gamble (P&G) Nigeria, for deployment to strategic locations in the 20 Local Governments and Local Council Development Areas.
The Deputy Governor, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, who disclosed this at the commissioning and deployment of the Hand Washing Stations, said that the initiative would complement several other efforts of the State government already deployed for the containment of COVID-19.
He stated that the establishment of various Isolation Centres, the initial State-wide lockdown, as well as other ongoing enlightenment campaigns on how Lagosians can protect themselves from being infected are some of the initiatives already adopted since the identification of the index case of the disease in Lagos last February.
Dr. Hamzat commended members of the Organised Private Sector for identifying with the State government in its efforts to curtail the spread of COVID-19, saying that many private organisations have provided one facility or the other to assist the State Government.
The Deputy Governor, however, charged Lagosians to stay safe and take responsibility for their safety against the virus by observing all protocols and directives stipulated by the government and health officials.
Earlier, the Special Adviser to the State Governor on Civic Engagement, Princess Aderemi Adebowale explained that the handwashing stations are in three variants, noting that Type A, has a mounted water tank and is meant to service areas where there are no reticulated water sources; Type B will be installed where there is a reticulated water source that can be connected directly at public places such as markets, bus stations, hospitals and many other identifiable public places so that members of the public can have access to water and dispensable soap to wash their hands; while Type C was designed in view of the fact that schools would be partially opened anytime soon.
Revealing that the Office has also designed and produced a prototype Hand Washing System for primary schools in the State to serve both junior and senior school pupils, Adebowale maintained that this approach will further foster the culture of good hygienic practices among the citizenry, as regular handwashing with soap and water has been identified to be very helpful in reducing the spread of the virus amongst the people.
In her remarks, the Senior Director, African-Global Government Relations, Procter & Gamble, Dr. (Mrs.) Temitope Iluyemi said her organisation would continue to support the Lagos State Government in the fight against the pandemic as 8000 packages of soap are being made for the scheme in addition to the Hand Washing Stations.
She, therefore, enjoined Lagosians to make judicious use of the stations at the different locations across the State.