The Task Force on COVID-19 yesterday in Abuja directed the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) to deploy its newly developed Made-in-Nigeria disinfectant safety Sprayers to the Asokoro General Hospital, Abuja.
The COVID-19 Committee disclosed during its visit to NASENI headquarters that the Asokoro General Hospital had admitted Two (2) COVID-19 Patients and therefore the NASENI disinfectant Safety Sprayers were needed urgently at the Hospital.
Led by its Vice-Chairman, Prof. Abdusalami Nasidi on an inspection of NASENI facilities, the Task Force commended NASENI for the initiatives which were aimed at assisting the government to control the virus from spreading in the country.
According to Professor Nasidi, the Asokoro General Hospital had been activated to take in COVID-19 patients for treatment and therefore the entire health workers in the hospital needed to be sanitized before and after they must have attended to COVID-19 patients. “In fact two (2) COVID-19 patients had been admitted in the Asokoro General Hospital”. He said.
He said “we do not want to take chances to lose any of our health workers, doctors, nurses and other health-service providers in the Federal Capital territory, therefore the NASENI disinfectant Safety Sprayers had come handy even as we look forward to deploy more of the equipment already produced by the Agency to combat COVID-19 pandemic.”
The Presidential Task Force (FCT Chapter) visited the Idu-Industrial Area, headquarters of the agency yesterday in Abuja to inspect what the Agency had contributed to the Federal Government’s efforts to contain the COVID-19 pandemic. In its assessment of the efforts by NASENI, Prof. Nasidi stated that the nation was proud of NASENI’s contributions so far and pledged to support the Agency to do more.
Last week, NASENI launched a range of technology products called COVID-19 interventions to assist the government contain the COVID-19 from spreading in Nigeria. The product included ventilators(designed and manufactured in Nigeria) to assist patients in breathing and also environmental disinfectant safety sprayers like NASENI Disinfectant safety tunnel O, disinfectant safety tunnel U, the single-chamber disinfectant sprayer, Keke NASENI disinfectant Sprayer, and also disinfectant Sprayers mounted on both trucks and Hilux. They were locally designed and produced by NASENI Engineers to sanitize Nigerian cities and towns against contamination by the Virus.
Recall the Senate Committee on Science and Technology led by its Chairman, Senator Uche Lilian Ekwunife visited the Agency with the Minister of Science and Technology Dr.Ogbonnaya Onu to assess the NASENI initiative. The products, the previous day, were launched by minister of State for Science and Technology, Barr. Mohammed Abdullahi. The Agency currently awaits funding investment from both Government and private sector to mass produce the products in order to assist the country in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.
SIGNED:
Olusegun Ayeoyenikan
Deputy Director, Information.