The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) will invoke relevant laws that enables it to mandatorily evacuate recalcitrant COVID-19 patients to treatment centres, the FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Bello has said.
Bello, a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Anthony Ogunleye, on Thursday in Abuja said the measure was one of the decisions taken at a meeting of the FCT COVID-19 Emergency Response Team and management of FCTA.
The meeting, which he chaired, also had in attendance Minister of State, (FCT) Dr Ramatu Aliyu, FCT Permanent Secretary, Mr Chinyeaka Ohaa, acting Secretary, Health and Human Services Secretariat, Dr Mohammed Kawu, and others.
The FCT Minister, who expressed dissatisfaction with the development, said that existing laws would be used to force such persons to go to treatment centers.
Bello noted that the suspected COVID-19 patients staying at home posed great risks not just to their families, but also immediate communities.
“Since we have began to witness community transmission of the virus, it is imperative that we must do everything within our powers to stop the spread; even if we have to compel such persons to go to treatment centers.
” In order to prevent further spread of the virus within the communities, it was resolved that massive testing will be carried out in areas where community transmission has been established, including Mabushi, Gishiri and Utako.
