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Wednesday, March 25, 2020 / 4:30 PM /
Dangote Industries / Header Image Credit: Forbes
Alhaji Aliko Dangote, President of the Dangote
Industries Limited and Mr. Herbert Wigwe MD/CEO of Access Bank are spearheading
a coalition of private sector organizations to support the Federal Government's
ongoing efforts to tackle the coronavirus (COVID-19) menace sweeping across the
country. This gesture is in addition to the N200 million earlier pledged by the
Aliko Dangote Foundation (ADF) to help curb its spread.
The initiative, which is called the Coalition Against
Coronavirus (COCAVID), will involve the erection of fully-equipped medical
tents to house patients and serve as training, testing, isolation and treatment
centers, with an additional facility also provided in Victoria Island, Lagos.
The COCAVID, led by Dangote Industries Limited and
Access Bank Group in collaboration with Zenith Bank, GTBank, MTN, ITB and
others, is tasked with the responsibility of mobilizing private sector thought
leadership and resources; creating public awareness; and directing support to
private and public healthcare institutions.
Giving details of the coalition, President of Dangote
Industries Limited, Aliko Dangote, explained that "ADF is pulling resources
across industries to provide technical and operational support while providing
funding and building advocacy through aggressive awareness drives."
According to him, "the coalition is working with
Lagos State Government to erect fully-equipped medical tents that will serve as
training, testing, isolation and treatment centers. We are also providing an
additional facility in Victoria Island, Lagos."
He assured that these centers will be fully equipped
with medical supplies and trained personnel to cater to patients who may become
affected. "In addition, we will be bringing in experts from around the world to
provide technical and training support", he said.
"COVID-19 affects us all and threatens our
collective health (economic, social, psychological) and physical wellbeing.
Hence, the urgent need to collaborate and work together to beat this common
enemy. The task ahead is daunting and bigger than any one organization. To win
this battle, it is critical we all come together as one," Dangote added.
He disclosed that "work has commenced to ensure
these facilities are completed in good time to serve the growing need of the
population during this perilous period."
He also sought government's support to have private
laboratories test alongside government centers to reduce the waiting period for
suspected COVID-19 cases. "There are currently five Government laboratories
equipped to handle all the testing in Nigeria. However, we have many more good
quality ones that can do it, but are not yet approved by Government to do so," he noted.
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