Some hospitals, hotels and relaxation spots have being recorded low patronage in Lafia, the Nasarawa State capital, since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, reports the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
A NAN correspondent monitoring the enforcement of the lockdown order reports that some of the listed public places in Lafia on Wednesday were not behive of activities.
Dr Omaha Solomon, a medical doctor with Diadem Consult, subsidiary of Institute of Human Virology (IHVN), said the fear of some patients contacting the virus from other patients, are some of the reasons they do not want to come for medical help.
This brings about the low patronage in some of the hospitals in the state, he added
Solomon said despite the low patronage, the medical establishment had maintained the federal and state governments preventive measures, so as to ensure that there are no outbreaks of the virus.
“In the Diadem facility where I am now, we take every necessary step. When we come to work in the morning, we wash our hands, use sanitisers, put on face masks and hand gloves and the clothes of work.
“Then when we are leaving, you remove your gloves, wash your hands before you leave the facility.
“For few patients coming in, as soon as they come in, they are mandated to wash their hands, then we give them hand sanitisers to sanitise their hands before attending to them.
“But I can tell you that the number of patients coming in has gradually reduced.
“But we have adhered to every directive of the federal and state governments to ensure that patients are prevented from contracting the virus.
“We have conducted extensive sensitisation for our staff and the patients who do come, we teach them preventive measures to adhere to before they are attended to.
“Regular hand washing with soap and use of sanitiser are emphasised even before staff will attend to any patient. So all is well except for the low patronage as a result of the outbreak of the virus,” he said.
An official of Paradise Hotel in Lafia, who pleaded anonymity, also told NAN that the hospitality sector in the state has been badly hit by the outbreak of COVID-19.
“Despite the fact no case has been recorded in the state, it has affected us seriously because people cannot move.
“Automatically the patronage has stopped as we hardly see people since the outbreak of the virus. The situation has seriously affected us.
“For the very few who still come, we make effort to ensure that they adhere to the government preventive measures such as hand washing at the main entrance, sanitisers and the use of face masks,” he said.
Mr Hassan Yakubu, the Manager of Vila Roza relaxation spot in Lafia, also lamented over the dwindling patronage and pleaded to the state government to relax the restriction order so as to allow customers visit the spot to relax.
“Since the government restricted movement from 8 p.m to 6 a.m, people are afraid to come out thereby reducing the rate of patronage.
“Even at that we are doing our best for the few who come out to take all preventive measures,” said Yakubu.NAN
