As the Oyo State government continues to seek ways to beat the Coronavirus, the Central Abattoir, Ibadan, on Thursday, donated 100 hospital beds with mattresses, bedside furniture and mosquito nets to the state.
The Abattoir, a Public Private Partnership with the state government, the 11 local governments in Ibadanland and Butchers’ Union, said it undertook to present the items to assist the state at this critical period in order to contribute its quota to the fight against the pandemic.
While presenting the items to the Commissioner for Health, Dr. B.V.A. Bello, the Director of Central Abattoir, Mr. Oladayo Oladipo, said that apart from the items presented to the state, the abattoir had also undertaken enlightenment programmes on the threat of Coronavirus to butchers, workers and customers of the abattoir.
He added that the standard protocol of social distancing by butchers, workers and visitors to the abattoir is being enforced, adding that infra-red temperature monitoring, hand sanitisers and washing of hands with soap and water are also in place at the abattoir.
In his response, the Dr. Bello, who received the items on behalf of the government, alongside some members of the Oyo State COVID-19 Task Force and officials of the Ministry of Health, including the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Dr. Muftau Ayoola and the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Makinde, Mr. Taiwo Adisa, expressed gratitude to the Central Abattoir.
He commended the abattoir for its effort in paying strict attention to public health safety in meat processing, noting that anyone conversant with zoonotic diseases would appreciate measures put in place by the abattoir, adding that it was commendable that the abattoir is supporting the state in this moment of COVID-19 pandemic.
According to Oladipo, prior to the outbreak of the Coronavirus, the Central Abattoir, a PPP outfit, which is in tandem with the vision of Governor Seyi Makinde’s investor-friendly administration, had always been committed to upholding public health safety through best practices in slaughtering, distribution and consumption of meats in other to prevent outbreaks of epidemic the provision of wholesome meat.
He said: “The Central Abattoir was conceived to ensure and assure a well-structured and organized facility that will readily lend itself to proper monitoring and control of public meat consumption with a view to ensuring that the public is protected from diseases associated with meat processing for human consumption.”
