The University of Calabar on Wednesday commissioned a 20 bed COVID-19 isolation centre to take care of students who may become infected with the virus.
Speaking at the commissioning ceremony, Vice-Chancellor of the University, Prof. Florence Obi, said that the institution was adhering to all COVID-19 protocols and that management had intensified efforts to stop the pandemic from spreading in the institution.
Her words: “With God on our side, we have not had any case of COVID-19 since we resumed in early February. The University Senate sat and decided that the institution should not go virtual but that students should have physical contacts, as such we decided on stringent measures to make sure that the virus is kept at bay.
“From the gate, temperatures of students and indeed all persons entering the premises are checked. Handwashing equipment and sanitisers have been provided in every lecture room while security unit is all out to ensure strict compliance with the use of face masks.
“We have taken time to put in resources with the help of critical stakeholders who have made donations to ensure this isolation centre sees the light of day,” she stated
On her part, the state commissioner for health, Dr Betta Edu, lauded the Vice-Chancellor for coming up with measures which she said would protect students against the pandemic, noting that such gesture would also encourage students to concentrate on their studies.
Betta said: “Let it be on record that UNICAL is the first tertiary institution on the country to establish this type of COVID,19 facilities for students. Prof Obi has changed the dynamics of COVID 19 response in our institutions of higher learning.
“She did not stop at prevention but went a step up to manage the response with physical structures. This facility will readily take care of any case of COVID and also give parents and guardians confidence in the institution without having to worry about their children or wards.
“We, as a state government, will complement this gesture by way of supplying PPEs, aprons and other necessary equipment,” she said
