As part of her efforts to ensure safe medical practice among health personnel, as well as safeguarding the academic community and its environs, Landmark University Medical Centre organized a one-day hands-on training for its staff tagged, “COVID-19 Technical Session on Infection Prevention and Control Measures: The Landmark University Medical Centre Context”.  

The technical session which had six (6) facilitators from Kwara, Ogun, Edo and the Federal Capital Territory addressed health issues relating to COVID-19 pandemic. The need for health workers to learn, re-learn and unlearn in the medical field cannot be overemphasized, thus making such technical session a must for the University’s health workers in their intervention responsibility. 

In his welcome address, the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Adeniyi Olayanju represented by the Dean, School of Postgraduate Studies, Professor Charity Aremu, stated the Management’s commitment towards making resources available for a coordinated response against the COVID-19 pandemic. Professor Olayanju revealed that the acquisition of quality Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for Landmark health personnel is one of the University’s prompt interventions against COVID-19. 

The Vice-Chancellor added that Landmark University Management is doing everything possible to prevent any infectious disease in the community and creating an enabling environment to drive innovations towards alleviating challenges of current realities in teaching and research.

Furthermore, he appreciated the facilitators of the technical session describing their contributions as apt to equipping the health workers of Landmark in their efforts towards addressing the pandemic. He added that it was in compliance with the Capacity Building and Responsibility Core Values of Landmark context. Professor Olayanju, however, urged all participants to translate the knowledge they would be gaining to add value to the entire Landmark community.  

Leading the participants on the hands-on training, Dr Oyewo, a member Kwara State COVID-19 Technical Committee who is also a staff of the State Ministry of Health demonstrated the right approach to donning and doffing the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) as he also showed the eleven (11) steps of hand hygiene and appropriate methods of PPE disposal. In another session, Dr Awoyale, the Deputy State Epidemiologist of Kwara focused on COVID-19 surveillance and next steps intervention. Dr Awoyale described the essentials of proper surveillance to include an integrated system of all levels of disease reporting, case definitions (suspected case, probable case and confirmed case), detection, notification and channels of reporting.

Also speaking, the Chairman, Edo State Economic Management Team and Team Lead, Edo State COVID-19 Think Tank Committee, Mr Daniel Ikuenobe intimated the participants on the Covid-19 response efforts in Edo State and categorically gave an advisory that a specific state epidemiological design is necessary for independent state interventions going forward. He stressed the need for adequate enlightenment and proper coordination of response as key drivers for effective COVID-19 containment. Mr Ikuenobe added that quality of thinking is needed for good economic and public health decisions and the welfare of frontline health workers should be given attention, as it could serve as a stimulus for effective engagement.

Other speakers included Dr Fakayode Oluwatosin Director, Public Health, Kwara State Ministry of Health; Dr. Adebanjo Ademola, Director, Health services, Covenant University, Ota, Ogun State; Dr Chizoba Wonodi, Country Director, International Vaccine Access Centre, Abuja and Faculty, John Hopkins School of Public Health, U.S.A; and Professor. Kola Oyedepo, Chairman, Irepodun L.G.A COVID-19 Response Committee. They identified appropriate use of personal protective equipment, motivation to change behaviour, reminders on hand hygiene and social distancing, and fake news on COVID-19 as issues militating against the current efforts on COVID-19 containment. However, scaling up testing for case detection is one of the ways to contain community transmission of COVID-19.