COVID -19: SPDC Donates Medical Equipment To Delta

Efforts by the Delta State Government to increase testing of Covid-19 cases received a boost on Wednesday with the donation of a machine capable of running 1,000 tests daily by Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria (SPDC).

The company also donated an ambulance, suction machine and other critical items needed to make an isolation centre functional.

Managing Director of SPDC and Country Chair, Shell Companies in Nigeria, Mr Osagie Okumbor, who made the donation to the state government in Asaba, said it was in support of the fight against COVID – 19 in the state.

Okumbor, who was represented by Stakeholders Manager of the company, Mr. Evans Krukrubo, said Delta state government deserved support from SPDC, acknowledging that the company had also enjoyed the support of the government and people of the state.

A representative of NNPC at the event, Mr Simon Obasi, stated that the donation was to cushion the effects of Covid-19 on the state government.

Receiving the equipment, Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mr Chiedu Ebie, thanked the donors for complementing government’s efforts at the fight against the COVID – 19 pandemic.

He said the Okowa administration had shown great commitment to curbing Covid-19, noting that while great efforts were made to provide adequate care for the victims, measures were also put in place to check the spread of the virus.

The SSG said Delta had taken COVID – 19 seriously from the very beginning of the outbreak, pointing out that the Governor chaired the Containment Committee which met periodically to review its activities, and had tried as much as possible to make available facilities for the treatment and management of Covid-19 patients.

Ebie said the state was committed to providing the right kind of care for those that had the virus, adding that the PCR machine would enable the state to increase testing capacity.

“We will be more aggressive in our contact-tracing, to treat those who are infected,” the SSG said.