The management of the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT), Rivers State, has directed compulsory use of face masks on its campuses to curtail spread of COVID-19 in the state.
Regina Ogali, Deputy Vice Chancellor (Administration), made this known in a statement by the institution ‘s Deputy Registrar (Information), Williams Wodi, in Port Harcourt on Saturday.
Mrs Ogali was quoted as issuing the directive during a meeting at the university between the principal officers and members of the COVID-19 Steering Committee.
Mr Ogali, who is currently supervising UNIPORT ‘s affairs in the absence of a substantive Vice Chancellor, said the decision was in line with the COVID-19 Protocol to the Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC).
“Henceforth, all staff, students and visitors to UNIPORT must fully observe the COVID-19 protocol as approved by NCDC and the World Health Organisation (WHO).
“We called this meeting with the COVID-19 Steering Committee, especially now that the number of confirmed cases in Rivers State is becoming scary by the day.
“To this end, we need to take proactive steps to safeguard the health status of staff, residents and visitors to the university.
“Also, we need to plan ahead of possible resumption of academic activities, if and when we are so directed by the Federal Government,” Ogali told the committee members.
She said the university had started supplying its COVID-19 test center with equipment and kits and expressed optimism that the center would become fully operational in July.
The Deputy Vice Chancellor added that management would soon be installing infra – red thermometers, hand sanitizers, and running water at strategic locations, including offices and faculties.
She directed the University Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences to begin manufacturing of hand sanitisers for distribution to the public in commercial quantities.
“Also, we should begin to think seriously about encouraging our Information and Communication Technology Centre and ODel, a virtual centre, to work out modalities to enable UNIPORT to begin online learning,” she noted.
The committee chairman, Iyeopu Siminialayi, has attributed the increasing number of confirmed cases of coronavirus to an increase in state testing.
Siminialayi, Provost of the University’s College of Health Sciences, said work was ongoing to transform the International Students Center into a temporary quarantine and isolation centre.
Datonye Alasia, another committee member and an expert on infectious disease, said about 40% to 50% of people tested for COVID-19 were positive.
