ABUJA, MAY 19, 2020 (CISA)-The Federal Government of Nigeria has accepted an offer by the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) to use Catholic hospitals and clinics as isolation centres for corona virus patients.
“As part of efforts to support the States in the establishment of the Isolation and treatment centres, I wish to remind our Governors that the Catholic Bishops Conference has volunteered all the 425 hospitals and clinics nationwide for adaptation and use as isolation centres,” Boss Mustapha, the chairman of the Presidential Task Force Committee on Coronavirus and Secretary to the Government of the Federation said.
He encouraged governors to approach Catholic bishops in their states in order to access the facilities and accept any other offers that address the demand for bed spaces being experienced in various isolation centres across the country.
“We have received reports from the states, which suggests that the treatment centres are running out of bed spaces. As we assess the situation, the PTF shall also begin to examine our peculiar circumstances, modify the strategies for care management, and consider viable alternatives were necessary,” he added.
The offer by the bishops was made in April when representatives of the CBCN led by Archbishop Ignatius Kaigama paid a solidarity visit to the secretary of the Federal Government. The bishops granted the taskforce committee full access to 435 catholic owned health facilities.
