LASUTH Holds First Virtual Meeting on Managing COVID-19 Incidence

The management of Lagos State University Teaching Hospital held its first virtual meeting on managing COVID-19 through a virtual platform recently. The well-attended meeting drew about 250 participants from various parts of the State and the United Kingdom.

While welcoming speakers and participants to the historic meeting, the Chief Medical Director of LASUTH, Prof. Adetokunbo O. Fabamwo appreciated the speakers and the Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi and the LASUTH Board, stressing that the hospital hopes to take the lead in education surrounding COVID-19 with a very impressive start.

In his presentation “Preventing COVID-19 Infection among Hospital Workers During and After the Pandemic Era”, Prof. Olumuyiwa Odusanya who is a professor of Public Health considered it a privilege to speak during the first LASUTH webinar. He also described the pandemic as a huge daily risk for health workers, just like firefighters.

Professor Odusanya led the participants to observe a minute silence for those health workers who have lost their lives in the line of duty and praised those who are still in the forefront of fighting the pandemic as he gave the overview citing that over eight million people have been infected with about 400,000 deaths globally.

He reinforced the fact that health workers are in great risk of infectious disease with risk factors including insufficient or inappropriate use of personal protective equipment, incorrect screening, environmental control, shortage of staff and nonpayment of salaries among others.

He added that the risks can be reduced by preventive measures like triage, availability and proper use of PPE, environmental cleaning, training of staff, surveillance and monitoring, assuming responsibility and protecting self.

Also, a Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) Prof. Bosede Afolabi also presented an overview of the pandemic in relation to LUTH’s Obstetrics and Gynaecology Department. She advised doctors not to subject pregnant women to caesarian session citing that there is no evidence of vertical transmission in pregnant women as she also prescribed early isolation, use of oxygen, avoidance of fluid overload and early ICU referrals.

While recounting his experience, a Consultant Emergency Medicine Physician, University of North East, England, United Kingdom, Dr. Kayode Adeboye analyzed the incidence of COVID-19 in the UK as major, natural or man-made, simple or compound. He further added that planning for these incidences involve staffing, provision of PPE, good communication as these will go a long way to save lives and stop the escalation of the incidence.

In his closing remark, the Director of Clinical Services and Training, Dr. Ibrahim Mustafa appreciated all the speakers and participants for making this maiden edition a great success.