(Special Report) Lafarge handling of index n-COVID19 case: A review, lessons
In the beginning and without wasting time, Lafarge Africa Cement did not hide or wait for crisis to escalate in owing up, but swiftly faced the crisis by not only assembling and quarantining n-COVID19 (Coronavirus) index contacts, but also going early to the press to inform Nigerians.
It would be recalled that Nigeria’s only case was an Italian who arrived Nigeria via Turkish Airlines on Tuesday February 25, 2020 and was confirmed on Wednesday, February 26, 2020.
Latest news on the index is that he has been responding to treatment and only Tuesday, March 3, 2020, there were confirmed reports that he has improved to the extent of asking for, and eating Amala and Ewedu soup at the handling hospital in Lagos.
The beauty of the preliminary way and manner the leading global cement conglomerate, Lafarge Africa approached the crisis can best be described as a confidence building approach by coming out and revealing that “The individual concerned works for a vendor that provides services to Lafarge Africa Plc in Ogun State. As a business, we have immediately identified the persons who had direct contact with the concerned individual. We have equally initiated isolation, quarantine and disinfection protocol at Ewekoro Plant.”
These were the initial official statement signed by Director, Communications, Public Affairs and Sustainable Development, Mrs. Folashade Ambrose-Medebem. The cement group added that “We thank the exemplary leadership of the federal ministry of health, Ogun and Lagos State Governments for swiftly providing response and testing facilities and we are working in full co-operation with all local authorities.
Explaining further, Ambrose-Medebem assured that “Lafarge Africa is also working in close partnership with International SOS, our medical service provider, a leading global health company.
“Health and Safety remains a core value at Lafarge Africa and we intend to leverage this strength at this critical time.
Business Hilights recalls that the Minister of health, Dr Osagie Ehanire had on Thursday, February 27, 2020, addressed a world press conference in Abuja to break the news of a confirmed case of n-COVID19 (Coronavirus) in Lagos Nigeria.
Many Nigerians who barred their minds on the steps quickly taken by Lafarge, hailed the speed and timely damage control steps of the company and called on other corporate citizens to learn from Lafarge in managing critical health issues for the interest of the nation.
Few days later when a contrary report went viral that the production lines of Lafarge Africa Plc, located in Ewekoro, Ogun state have been shutdown following the announcement of a coronavirus case in Nigeria, the management of Lafarge Africa and Ogun state government swiftly debunked the closure of the cement production lines.
While Lafarge Africa and its host, Ogun state government confirmed that the n-COVID-19 contacts, including the driver who picked the concerned individual from a hotel in Ikeja and those who served him food and drinks are 39 from the 28 contacts earlier reported in the media, they however said that the production lines were not shut as the guest house where the Italian was lodged is 5-km to the manufacturing plant in Ewekoro.
Speaking at the Lafarge Africa facility in Ewekoro during the on-the-spot-assessment by Ogun state government team, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and World Health Organisation (WHO), the Industrial Director at Lafarge Africa, Segun Soyoye, made it clear that the Italian came to Lafarge’s facilities in Ewekoro for a kick off meeting and his movement around the premises was not beyond the Lafarge guest house at Ishofin estate. Right after, the man was evacuated when he developed abnormal temperatures as initial vital signs indicated that he had developed symptoms of Coronavirus.
Soneye was quick to explain that “the concerned individual came for a business visit. He was in Lagos on Monday and slept at a hotel in Ikeja. While at our facility the following day, we observed abnormal temperatures and symptoms. We quickly instituted an Emergency Response Team led by the Country CEO and subsequently had to analyze and identify not only the Italian but also other individuals who made contact with him. The contacts are now 39 and they have been quarantined. We have equally isolated the house, the clinic as well as the vehicles. Today is Day 3 out of 14 days and we will continue to observe them. We have a database, showing their bio-data and other information. We have a resident Doctor who checks them on a regular basis. So far everybody is stable, they are not symptomatic and we are providing everything they need”.
Continuing, he added that “we have equally resumed operations in our in-house clinic, initially used by the concerned individual following its closure. The clinic was disinfected and all the health care officials have been quarantined’.
Speaking on behalf of the Government, the Ogun State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Tomi Coker commended Lafarge Africa’s management for the quick and proactive measures taken so far, reiterating the importance of the commitment of the State and Federal Governments to contain the spread of the deadly disease.
According to the Commissioner, the Ogun State Government has activated an Emergency Operation Committee (EOC) to manage any development that may arise from the reported case of Coronavirus as the Government is working to contain the spread of Coronavirus in the State.
Coker further explained that Committee is led by herself as the Commissioner for Health and comprises staff of the State Ministry of Health, the Hospital Management Board, and representatives of the Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC), World Health Organization (WHO) and representatives of the Federal Medical Center (FMC), Abeokuta.
“We are on top of the situation. There is no cause for alarm. Our health educators are busy with advocacy efforts on the field. We are sensitizing our health officers too on preventive measures to adopt. We have all the required interventions to contain the situation. Members of the public should remain calm,” Coker said.
In addition, the Team Leader of the World Health Organisation (WHO) Nigeria, Ibrahim Mamadu lauded the internal processes undertaken so far by Lafarge Africa to contain the deadly disease. He however advised Lafarge Africa and others to acquire digital thermometers to check body temperatures instead of infrared thermometers for accurate body temperature readings.
Latest show of strategic corporate governance and responsibility by Lafarge Africa was exhibited on Wednesday this week by the Country Chief Executive Officer, Mr Khaled El Dokani, when he addressed Nigerians on a national TV (Channels TV).
Demonstrating a rare corporate remorse, first, he was quick to apologise to Nigerians over how the index case came from an Italian working for a vendor firm in Lafarge Africa.
El Dokani responses during the TV interview were as follows: “Frankly speaking the company is not going through any low periods. We are doing great. The intention is to bring it one step forward. So we are looking at our teams and strengthening our strategy with the support of our board members and teams.
“To be honest, one of the things that have proven the resilience of Lafarge Africa PLC is the level of awareness and anticipation of our people that have been training for months and months since the coronavirus came out. And this is one of the things that show the resilience of the company. We are very well equipped to meet such surprises. The reaction of our team on the ground and the way they reacted, the way they coordinated with our states, especially in Ogun and Lagos, was extremely prompt; it was very well appreciated.
“And I would take this opportunity to thank the Governors of Ogun and Lagos for their participation, their fast reaction and the very, very great achievement they have made to contain the situation and take the necessary precautions.
“We are a big company, a big organisation; we have a lot of resources. However, the health and safety of our employees come as a top priority. And if it is needed to sacrifice some of our results to make sure that our people are safe and healthy, this is what we are going to do. However, the current situation – and I have contact with each and every person who has been quarantined in one-and-one phone calls, they are all in very good health, the morale is high, they’ve got their phones with them, and they are running the business from where they are. I look forward to overcome this issue, which is unfortunate for all of us, and we apologise for any inconvenience that has been caused to anybody.
“The plant is up and running. It has not been closed. We have our trucks shipping our cement, so this is part of the social media rumours or news which did not take place. We had visitors from the honourable Commissioner of Health, the World Health Organisation, they visited the plant and they commended each and every step we have taken so far,” El Dokani averred.
Recall that El Dokani resumed duties as the CEO of the cement giant only this month, following the switch of the former CEO, Mr. Mr. Micheal Puchercos from the company to Dangote Cement earlier this month as pioneer boss of Dangote Cement, Engr Joe Makoju retires.
