Being an ADDRESS BY PROF IKE OLUKA, Ag. Director, African Development Institute of Research Methodology, ADIRM on the occasion of the Roll out of COVID – 19 Intervention Project


ADDRESS BY PROF IKE OLUKA

(FNIAE, FASI, FCAI, RE-COREN, MASABE, MCSBE, MNSE, MNIAE)

Ag. Director, African Development Institute of Research Methodology, ADIRM, on the occasion of the Roll out of COVID – 19 Intervention Project by

the African Development Institute of Research Methodology (ADIRM) on

30th march, 2020, at the multipurpose hall, Golden Royale hotel, Enugu, Nigeria

 

PROTOCOLS

It is with the palpable air of the current happenings regarding the corona virus (COVID – 19) thatI stand before you to address you all that gather here today. We have gathered here, not because we want to celebrate an event or promote a development project. We are all here today because the world as a body and humanity as a race are under an unprecedented attack by corona virus (COVID-19). I hasten to state that COVID-19 is at war with the World. The global economy is in shambles and nations are counting their dead in hundreds on daily basis. Fear, grief and shock have taken over the World and many nations, overwhelmed by the pandemic, watch their citizens die with excruciating respiratory pains. 

Ladies and gentlemen, our being here this afternoon is to present our counter attack intervention mechanisms to fight, contain and eradicate COVID - 19 in Nigeria. This action, championed by the African Development Institute of Research Methodology (ADIRM) to fight back, is in line with our tradition which upholds that“ In times of war, men and women must come out to confront and defeat the attacker”.

The African Development Institute of Research Methodology (ADIRM) is a development and research group, a non-profit and non-governmental organization, comprising of Professors and renowned Scholars within and outside Nigeria. Our locations at both Europe and Africa (Enugu) enable us to periscope Africa’s problems globally from insider and outsider points of views. Our objective is to rejuvenate research and development in Africa and enhance research & industry ties in the continent. Our focus are in the following activities: Research and development studies, advocacy, consultancy and training. We are primarily in the areas of Public Health, Food and Agriculture, Environment, Management studies, Peace and conflict resolution, entrepreneurship and innovation. Our research and development projects are need-driven and tailored toward solving societal problems. We collaborate with industry professionals and government to create value-adding products and services based on innovative research, development and training programmes.

ADIRM have a good assemblage of innovative and creative professionals and multi-disciplinary teams to solve societal problems, bridge the gap between theory and practice and transform the face of research in Africa. In all, we put the people and the nation at the heart of what we do.

The COVID-19 intervention project is our own contribution towards stemming the tide of the COVID-19 pandemic that is currently ravaging humanity. Towards this goal, we have already done the following;

Trained 150 Volunteer Corps who are all graduates, to assist with COVID-19 awareness/sensitization activities, as well as surveillance. These volunteers shall be paid N30,000 monthly stipend and shall operate in Enugu State; also serving as our COVID-19 Research Assistants. The Volunteer Corps started work on 25th March, 2020.

Trained some doctors and nurses from some private hospitals in Enugu State on Infection, Prevention and Control. The training of private health care workers is on-going and continual. 

Acquired three phone lines: 09076910368; 09057862413; 07041013142 for public information sharing and surveillance from our situation room. Three trained staff have been recruited and placed in the situation room to collate, analyze and manage all calls to the phone lines.

Developed, and produced one thousand copies of protocol, to guide health care workers on screening, identification and notification of suspected cases of COVID-19. This will be distributed to all the health facilities in Enugu state (private and public). 

Reproduced six thousand copies of NCDC COVID-19 information, Education and Communication materials for dissemination.

Procured twenty Veronica buckets (Wash hand stand with bucket and bowls) to be donated to some private health care facilities.

Procured some protective gowns, and other Infection Prevention and Control materials to be donated to some private health facilities in Enugu State.

Have an isolated; stand-alone facility with about 600 bed capacity donated to us by Golden Royal ltd for COVID -19 isolation and treatment centre in case of outbreak in the State. We look forward to partnering with Enugu State Government onoptimal utilization of the facility.

Distinguished Stakeholders in the health management industry, ladies and gentlemen, with these and more in our box, we are quite ready to contribute our quota in the fight against COVID – 19. 

We call on all able bodied men and women, faith based groups/associations, corporate bodies, individuals, etc. to rise up to the challenge posed by the COVID – 19 pandemic. Your response could be as a volunteer, donor, member of our organization or pray for the success of our efforts. Our doors are open twenty four hours.

Thanks. May God bless Enugu State and Nigeria. Oluka is 

FNIAE, FASI, FCAI, RE-COREN, MASABE, MCSBE, MNSE, MNIAE.