Presenting the awards to the recipients, Prof. Bissallah
Ekele, Chief Medical Director (CMD), UATH, said that the gesture was to
encourage and prepare them for greater tasks in the future.
Ekele said that when FCT recorded its first case of
COVID-19, the institution was the first to receive patients because of its
capacity to manage the pandemic through the help of its frontline healthcare
workers.
“About this time in 2019, we gathered to honour and
celebrate the 2019 UATH Staff Award winners. We are here today to do the same
and we thank God for keeping us alive to witness another celebration.
“Permit me to highlight some of the differences between
today’s celebration and that of 2019.
“We were within the confines of the auditorium of the Post
Basic Critical Care Nursing School but today we are outside, under canopies.
“We sat round tables like families taking dinner but today
we ‘sit solo’ with measured distance between guests. We could recognise one
another easily in 201 but today we are all masked not sure who is sitting next
to you.
“All these have happened, no thanks to COVID-19.
“The first confirmed case of COVID-19 in Nigeria was on Feb.
27, 2020 and four weeks later FCT Abuja, recorded its first case and was
admitted at UATH, the first and only hospital then in FCT with the capacity to
manage COVID-19,” he said.
Ekele said that as at Dec. 1, 2020, the hospital had managed
313 cases of COVID-19 patients from moderate to severe cases that needed oxygen
support and had so far discharged about 294 cases with 19 mortalities.
According to him, the isolation centre has received
tremendous support from individuals and corporate organisations and all the
frontline healthcare workers who have been working for over nine months are all
in good health.
“The 80-man strong frontline health workers who have been
working at the Treatment and Isolation Center for more than nine months deserve
our applause and to the glory of God, they are all in good health.
“Also worthy of mention is the tremendous support our
isolation center received from individuals and corporate organisations. As at
the last count, we have benefited from 72 groups and individuals,” he said.
The CMD of UATH called on the awardees to continue with
their dedication and hard work for the development of the health sector and to
also prepare for future responsibilities.
“Let me now formally welcome you to the University of Abuja
Teaching Hospital (UATH), Gwagwalada, Abuja, the Center of Excellence for
Infectious Disease.
“Join us as we celebrate the heroes and patriots of the year
2020,” he said.
NAN