The Federal Government plans to provide 10-bed Intensive Care Unit (ICU) in every state of the Federation, as part of strategies to provide critical response to the COVID-19 pandemic in the country.

This was disclosed by the Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, who gave an assurance that the focus on COVID-19 prevention and treatment would not wipe out the maintenance of normal routine vaccination.

He made the disclosure on Thursday in continuation of the series of presidential briefings coordinated by the Communications Team at the State House in Abuja, the nation’s capital.

This edition of the meeting focused on the health sector and plans for the smooth roll-out of the COVID-19 vaccines received recently by the government.

According to Ehanire, the Federal Ministry of Health intends to develop as a matter of urgency the nation’s emergency medical service to respond to persons with medical distress.

He stressed the need to continue with the public health measures, insisting that there was no specific treatment for COVID-19 but trials to improve therapeutics.

The Director-General of NCDC, Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu, who was also present at the briefing, noted that Thursday made it exactly a year and five days since COVID-19 was identified in the country.

He stated that Nigeria has since maintained a robust response to the pandemic and called for the sustenance of critical investment to the health sector to consolidate on the gains achieved in the last one year.

For the Executive Director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr Faisal Shuaib, an improved percentage of 50 per cent of Nigerians have indicated willingness to be vaccinated while 25 per cent remained hesitant.

He reiterated that vaccines would not be deployed to any state that has not fulfilled its preparedness criteria.