Government trains optometrists on COVID-19 infection prevention control

By Chukwudi Nwauba  :

Awka, Feb. 24, 2021 (MOI) Anambra State Government through the Ministry of Health trained optometrists working in government health facilities on COVID-19 infection prevention and control.

Optometrists are primary healthcare specialists trained to examine the eyes, to detect defects in vision, signs of injury, ocular diseases or abnormality and problems with general health. 

Commissioner for Health, Dr Vincent Okpala stressed the state Government’s commitment, noting that the objective was to ensure that healthcare providers, stakeholders and the public were abreast with how the disease operated.

The training was held at the Ministry’s Conference Hall, Jerome Udoji Secretariat Complex, Awka.

Dr Okpala noted that his ministry had trained and retrained stakeholders, faith-based hospital care providers and traditional rulers on the recently introduced state chain of survival strategies which had been helping to contain spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The commissioner assured that his ministry would continue to update the public on preventive measures in order to stop the spread and as well to contain the virus.

According to him, information is key in achieving our objectives which is to protect Ndi Anambra from this deadly pandemic ravaging the universe.

Dr Kenneth Nwokolo, Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) Chief Focal Person educated them on the following, Basics of COVID-19, History, Epidemiology, Clinical presentation, Universal precaution and others.

State Epidemiologist, Dr Chukwuma Emembolu, said that the training would help the participants to know the best practices in case management and infection prevention and control measures.

Dr Emembolu enjoined them to cascade the training to their staff members as well as to ensure they apply all that was taught them when handling patients.

In attendance during the training include Permanent Secretary, Mr Linus Nwankwo and Director Public Health/Diseases Control, Dr Uchechukwu Onyejimbe.