The Federal Government has commenced training of about one hundred and seventy nine intensive care specialists, and biomedical engineers, who
will man the oxygen concentrators and ventilators being distributed to
various health institutions.

The Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire stated this, during the
Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 Press Briefing in Abuja where he disclosed that the ventilators and training are
courtesy of the United States Government to complement what the
country already has.

Ekwi Ajide of our Abuja Bureau reports that the United States
Government had last month, through its Ambassador to Nigeria, Mary
Beth Leonard, made a donation of two hundred ventilators which was
tagged “life-saving equipment” to assist in tackling the rampaging
COVID-19 in Nigeria.

The donation was said to be a fulfillment of the commitment made by
Presidents Donald Trump and Muhammadu Buhari earlier this year and it
included training on the use and maintenance of the equipment so as to
ensure that the ventilators can address other respiratory illnesses
years beyond the virus.

Updating on the cases of COVID-19 in the country, Dr Ehanire reported
that as at September twenty one 2020, Nigeria has a record of about
fifty seven thousand, two hundred and forty two COVID-19 positive
cases out of four hundred and seventy nine thousand, six hundred and
twenty eight samples tested with forty eight thousand, five hundred
and sixty nine patients treated and discharged from hospital, while
one thousand, and ninety eight citizens have sadly been lost to the
disease.

The Minister upheld that, even though there seem to be a decline in
the number of COVID-19 cases as well as fatalities, there was need for
caution as the nation stands the risk of possible spike as being
currently reported.