The Kogi government says it is on top of the COVID-19 crisis.

On Thursday, while inaugurating a research team to monitor and investigate the effect, adverse reactions, and level of tolerance of the COVID-19 vaccine, Kogi’s Commissioner for Health, Saka Audu, told the News Agency of Nigeria that team was inaugurated following the flag-off of the COVID-19 vaccination, in Lokoja, on Tuesday.

The commissioner said the team, comprising specialists drawn from across the health sector, would research areas regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, including investigating why the COVID-19 pandemic had relatively spared Kogi.

Dr Audu said the team would also monitor the utilisation of the COVID-19 vaccine, look at the adverse reactions that might follow the vaccination exercise, and come up with a reliable report.

The commissioner added that said the research team would also work on the usefulness of Hydroxyl Chloroquine, Zinc, and Mectizan and make recommendations.

He claimed that Kogi was proactive as the first state to bring about the novel idea of a COVID-19 Self Assessment App and demonstrate the usefulness of Rapid Test Kits for quick assessment.

“These are areas where Kogi has really excelled. We have been on top of the situation as far as the prevention and control of COVID-19 is concerned.

“We are also leading in terms of health infrastructural development so that we can cope with any outbreak in the process. We are building two massive infectious disease hospitals, one in Ajaokuta and the other one in Kogi LGA.

“We have an ultra-modern referral centre that is arguably the best hospital in Nigeria, which is in the making. We have a reference hospital in Okene,” he explained.

(NAN)