The Vice Chancellor of the University of Calabar, Prof. Florence Obi, has unveiled a 20-bed COVID-19 isolation Centre on the campus of the institution in line with the protocols of the National Centre for Disease Control and the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19.
The VC while inaugurating the centre on Wednesday in Calabar, said her administration puts safety within the campus and the University community at the top of its priority list.
She added that when it became obvious that the University was going to resume, the Senate of the University met and agreed that resumption should not be virtual but face-to-face contact with the students following strictly the COVID-19 protocols as laid out by the Federal government through the NCDC and the PTF.
According to her, the university engaged the service of a reputable consultant to instal essential COVID-19 sanitizing equipment, including entry and exit tunnels, heavy duty humidifiers, automatic hand sanitizers, standing thermometers, and infrared thermometer.
The VC, who inaugurated the Centre in commemoration of her 100 days as VC of the University, said that “with God on our side, we have not recorded any suspected case of COVID-19 on campus”.
“Moreso, our students are very conscious, even the buses that ply the routes on campus are abiding strictly to the COVID-19 protocols.
“We are proud of what is happening today; we stand out as one the few universities that took the risk of reopening fully for academic activities.
“Right now, we are in the middle of our first semester examination and everything is going on smoothly.
“We took time to put in resources to achieve this great feat with the help of well-meaning Nigerians.
“Notable among them include, the former Director-General, Department of State Services Mr Ita Ekpenyong, former Special Adviser to the President on National Assembly Matters, Senator Florence Ita-Giwa and the Chief Executive Officer of Dozzy Oil & Gas, Mr Daniel Chukwudozie,” she said.
She applauded Gov. Ben Ayade of Cross River for donating massive COVID-19 equipment to the University’s COVID-19 Taskforce team.
Earlier, Chairman of University of Calabar COVID-19 Taskforce, Dr Kingsley Akaba, said that the committee was desirous of promoting safety on campus.
Akaba said that the committee would continue to enforce the COVID-19 protocols on campus, adding that their mandate was to have a seamless academic session free from the pandemic.
For her part, the State Commissioner for Health, Dr Betta Edu, said she had earlier recommended to the Presidential Task Force to empower Universities to have their own taskforce.
“We cannot depend on State or Federal Taskforce to protect over 40,000 children across our Universities.
She commended Obi for all she has achieved within her 100 days in office, adding that the University was experiencing great changes.
