The Lagos State government has revealed plans to build an International Infectious Disease Research Centre in the state.

The state governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, disclosed that the centre would be situated at the Mainland Infectious Disease Hospital in Yaba, as part of the government’s response to COVID-19 and preparation for other infectious diseases after the pandemic.

He made the disclosure on Sunday at the official launch of the 150-bed Mainland Infectious Disease Isolation Centre donated by the Coalition Against COVID-19 (CACOVID) to the state.

Governor Sanwo-Olu explained that the government would also erect a purpose-built Doctors’ Quarters and permanent isolation wards to ramp up capacity for any infectious disease outbreak in Lagos, as part of the global masterplan for the Mainland Infectious Disease Hospital, Yaba.

Defeating COVID-19

“Our Infectious Disease hospital is seeing a lot of brand new things coming up and we are committed that this hospital’s post COVID19 would see a purpose-built international infectious disease research centre; the designs are out already,” he said.

The governor added, “We will also be building purpose-built isolation wards, we will ramp up our infrastructure and capacity and not wait for a pandemic to come on us again.”

He commended CACOVID for donating the state-of-art 150-bed Isolation centre to Lagos, saying that the facility would certainly add to the state’s capacity and enable it do a lot more in the war against COVID-19.

According to Governor Sanwo-Olu, the latest donated structure is about the sixth or seventh structured isolation centre in Lagos.

He, however, noted that beyond putting up isolation facilities for COVID-19 case management, it was important for citizens to understand the need to take responsibility against the pandemic.

The governor said, “It is not a function of how many isolation beds that are built but a case of ourselves taking responsibility; understanding that this virus knows no race, colour or age.

“COVID-19 is real and we owe it a duty to tell our people to be very cautious and take precautionary measures and ensure that it is only when we do all of these things that this pandemic can be defeated.”