SUNRISE NEWS, Lagos, July 24, 2020 Lagos State Government has said it spends between N100,000 and N1m daily on COVID-19 patients in the state.
The Commissioner for Health, Professor Akin Abayomi, disclosed this at a media briefing on Thursday.
Abayomi explained that for mild and moderate cases, the state government spends averagely about N100,000 daily.
However, serious and severe cases costs the state government about N500,000 to N1m, daily, the Commissioner said.
Abayomi, who further explained that what he provided was a rough estimate added that it would be very difficult to calculate in details, what it costs the state government to treat a COVID-19 patient.
The cost he arrived at, he said, factored in cost of treatment, cost of feeding, accommodation and the services provided by the healthcare givers, etc all of which are rendered free .
Abayomi also revealed that about 2,036 COVID-19 patients tested in the last two weeks could not be traced and picked up for treatment.
He traced among other factors responsible for this to include preference for home treatment, logistic issues, wrong information provided in their forms filled and inability to reach such patients because their phones were switched off.
He therefore urged anyone who have tested and is confirmed positive for the virus to quickly come out for treatment as delays might lead to complications that might lead to regrets.
He urged residents in the state to be responsible and avoid any crowded places if they can, or wear their face masks anytime they are in the public as well as regularly washing their hands in soap and running water and constant use of alcohol based hand sanitisers.