The Osun State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Rafiu Isamotu, has insisted that the COVID-19 vaccines that is being distributed by the Federal Government is not a birth control measure by the government.

This followed rumours making the rounds that the government was planning to use the COVID-19 vaccine as a

a ploy to make Nigerians sterile in order to control the population.

Isamotu also maintained that notwithstanding the availability of the COVID-19 vaccines in the state, testing and isolation of infected persons will be intensified in Osun as the non-pharmaceutical safety measures remain the most proven strategy in reducing community transmission.

Isamotu, while featuring on Frank Talk on Rave FM, on Monday, called on citizens of Osun not to allow the rumours provoke fear in them, adding that the vaccines have no side effects that can adversely affect the human body.

He revealed that although no particular date has been set for the commencement of vaccination in Osun, the national distribution of the vaccines commences on Monday, and that the training of health workers will precede the administration of the vaccines in the state.

The Commissioner disclosed that the vaccines will be administered in two jabs, the second coming after about three months interval from the first.

Also cementing on the management of the vaccination in the State, the Executive Secretary of the State Primary Health Care Development Board, Dr. Oluwole Fabiyi, said Osun was prepared to receive the vaccines, as cold chains for storing them have been established in the state

He revealed that Osun has 332 solar freezers, which means each Ward has a storage facility.

Fabiyi added that since about 40,000 AstraZeneca vaccine doses will be coming to the state, the vaccination will be done in four phases.

“The first phase will be for frontline and health workers. The second phase will be for the elderly and those that are morbidly ill and the last phase for those that are 15 years and above.

“For now, research has not shown that it can be administered on children. So, it is for people who are 15 years and above”, Fabiyi stated.

The State Government of Osun has charged its citizens to leverage on the demands for innovations that the COVID-19 pandemic has brought about in the country and in the world.

The Deputy Governor, Mr Benedict Alabi, who is the Head of the State’s Task Force on COVID-19, disclosed this while receiving the donation of solar-powered handwashing machines from the Osun State branch of the Nigerian Society of Engineers.

Alabi said that the State of Osun is one that runs on innovations across different sectors, and is therefore open to receiving more innovative ideas and Interventions from individuals, groups and associations, within and outside the State.

In his words: “We appreciate the Nigerian Society of Engineers for this noble idea presented to the State. The Governor and the people of our dear State are impressed by the idea behind this donation.

“COVID-19 has presented us with the opportunities to be innovative. It is now left for us  to utilize the opportunities the virus has presented, for the advancement of the society.

A total of 19 new Covid-19 cases have been recorded in the State of Osun while 10 patients were on Monday discharged from the State’s Treatment and Isolation Centre, following their recovery. 

The State’s Commissioner for Health, Dr. Rafiu Isamotu, made this known in a statement released on Monday afternoon. 

Dr. Isamotu dislcosed that the fresh cases are contacts of previously confirmed cases. He also admonished residents of the State not to ignore the observance of all precautionary measures laid down by the State government. 

The Commissioner revealed that with the latest  detected cases, number of cases in the State had risen to 358 out of which 184 are active cases.  According to him, the State has successfully treated and discharged 166 patients, while eight deaths have so far been recorded in the State.

The Government of the State of Osun on Sunday announced the discovery of 4 new Covid-19 cases in the State.

The State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Rafiu Isamotu, who disclosed this in a statement also confirmed the discharge of 11 patients from the State’s Treatment and Isolation Centre.

Dr. Isamotu while appealing to citizens and residents of the State to always observe all the precautionary measures laid down by the State against the spread of the virus, noted that the cases were contacts of previous cases in the State. 

He also added that with the latest development, the number of confirmed cases in the State, as at July 19 stand at 339 with 175 active cases.  According to him, the State has successfully treated and discharged 156 patients, while eight deaths have so far been recorded in the State.

The Government of the State of Osun on Thursday announced the discovery of 17 new Covid-19 cases.

This was disclosed by the State’s  Commissioner for Health, Dr. Rafiu Isamotu, in a statement.

He also confirmed the discharge of seven patients from the State’s  Treatment and Isolation Centre.

Dr. Isamotu while appealing to citizens and residents of the State to always observe all the precautionary measures laid down by the State against the spread of the virus, noted that the new cases were contacts from the previous ones in the State. 

He also added that with the latest development, the number of confirmed cases in the State, as at July 16,  is 335 with 182 active cases.  According to him, the State has successfully treated and discharged 145 patients, while eight deaths have so far been recorded in the State.

The Government of the State of Osun on Wednesday announced the discovery of 37 new Covid-19 cases.

Similarly, the State confirmed the discharge of four patients from its Treatment and Isolation Centre and the death of one on Wednesday from an underlying ailment.

These were disclosed by the State’s  Commissioner for Health, Dr. Rafiu Isamotu, in a statement.

Dr. Isamotu appealed to citizens and residents of the State to always observe all the precautionary measures laid down by the State against the spread of the virus.

He also added that with the latest development, the number of confirmed cases in the State, as at July 15, is 318 with 172 active cases. 

According to him, the State has successfully treated and discharged 138 patients, while eight deaths have so far been recorded in the State. 

In a related development,  Prof Peter Olaitan, acting CMD LAUTECH Teaching Hospital, Osogbo, has been named the new incident manager of Covid-19 Technical committee. He takes over from the previous manager who has been given another assignment.

The Government of the State of Osun has discharged 13 patients who have tested negative from its Treatment and Isolation Centre.

This was disclosed by the Commissioner for Health,  Dr. Rafiu Isamotu on Tuesday.

He also confirmed the discovery of 18 new cases in the State, saying they were contacts from previous cases.

The Commissioner appealed to citizens and residents of the State to always observe all the precautionary measures laid down by the State against the spread of the virus. He also revealed that with the latest development, the number of confirmed cases in the State, as at July 14, is 281 with 140 active cases, adding that the State has successfully treated and discharged 134 patients, while seven deaths have so far been recorded in the state.

The Government of the State of Osun has discharged 11 patients who have tested negative from its Treatment and Isolation Centre.

This was disclosed by the Commissioner for Health,  Dr. Rafiu Isamotu on Monday.

This is even as he confirmed the discovery of 17 new cases in the State, saying they were contacts from previous cases.

The Commissioner appealed to citizens and residents of the State to always observe all the precautionary measures laid down by the State against the spread of the virus. He also revealed that with the latest development, the number of confirmed cases in the State, as at July 13, is 263 with 135 active cases, adding that the State has successfully treated and discharged 121 patients, while seven deaths have so far been recorded.

COVID-19 Update: Osun   SSG, 21 others test negative

…records 23 new cases

The Government of Osun on Saturday confirmed that its Secretary to State Government (SSG), Prince Wole Oyebamiji, has tested negative for Covid-19. 

Similarly, 21 other patients have also tested negative and have all been discharged.

The State however announced the discovery of 23 additional cases in the State, saying they were contacts from previous cases in the State.

The State’s Commissioner for Health,  Dr. Rafiu Isamotu, made the announcements in a statement on Saturday morning in Osogbo.

It will be recalled that the SSG had about 10 days ago tested positive for the virus. But by Friday evening, the confirmatory test carried out after days of care and treatment returned negative, Dr. Isamotu further revealed. 

He disclosed that some of the staff of the SSG who had previously tested positive were among those who tested negative.

The Commissioner appealed to citizens and residents of the State to always observe all the precautionary measures laid down by the State against the spread of the virus. He also revealed that with the latest development, the number of confirmed cases in the State has risen to 233 with 116 active cases, adding that the State has successfully treated and discharged 110 patients, while seven deaths have so far been recorded.

Lockdown: We’re not satisfied with compliance level – Enforcement Committee

…. Warns migrants against lockdown, NCDC protocols violation

The Ijesaland lockdown Enforcement Committee on Friday, expressed dissatisfaction with  the  compliance level of the exercise so far.  

This is just as it warned people from other parts of the country living in Ijesaland against flouting  government’s directives designed to prevent community transmission of Coronavirus in the State.

It condemned in its entirety the high level of disobedience displayed by some artisanal miners resident in some parts of Ijesaland since the beginning of the lockdown in the areas, insisting that the migrants in Ifewara and its environs in Atakunmosa West Local Government had turned deaf ears to lockdown order imposed on the area.

Government of the State of Osun had last weekend announced a 7-day total lockdown in  four local governments in Ijesa axis of the State as part of efforts to curb community transmission of  the Coronavirus pandemic.

The enforcement team, which toured Iwara-Ijesa, Iwikun-Ijesa and Ifewara-Ijesa all in Atakunmosa-West local government area, arrested some violators who were later sensitised on the health implications of COVID-19 and the likely effect of their insolence.

The Special Adviser to the Governor on Security, Mrs. Abiodun Ige, who led the enforcement team, decried the way and manner the migrants residing in the areas flouted government’s directives.

She lamented what she described as gross disobedience of government’s directives, saying the suspected migrants were carrying on as if there was no lockdown in Ifewara and its environs.

Ige who expressed fear  of the implications  of the conduct of the migrants in the town noted that if urgent action was not taken, such an act might jeopardise the fundamental reason the lockdown was imposed.

She warned the defaulters to desist from taking government’s directives for granted, saying there won’t be any preferential treatment  in the enforcement of rules.

“It is unfortunate that despite the lockdown, some  people from other parts of the country still flagrantly opened their markets and engaged in open buying and selling activities.

“As you can see, we met them here in the market selling and buying as if there was no lockdown. Many of them didn’t observe safety protocols. They didn’t wear nose masks and they didn’t maintain social distancing as directed by the government”, she added.

Also, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Rural Development and Community Affairs, Hon. Mumini Adekunle Rafiu, lamented the poor compliance level experienced in some parts of the areas. He said government would not rest on its oars in ensuring strict compliance to lockdown order as efforts would be jerked up to strengthen security in the affected areas.