The Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, has accused Nigerian
elites of infecting and exposing medical doctors to the dreadful Coronavirus.
In a statement jointly signed by its President, Dr. Francis
Faduyile and Secretary General, Dr. Olumuyiwa Odusote, respectively, the
association said over 40 medical doctors besides other health workers have been
infected with Coronavirus so far.
He said no healthcare worker has contracted the disease at
Isolation Centres and that those that tested positive for the virus were
infected by Nigerians who avoid the accredited centres and opt for private
hospitals, which unknowingly started treating ailments they later found out to
be caused by the ravaging virus.
According to the statement, most of the doctors were
infected in general public and private health facilities by patients who had
refused to disclose important medical/travel information during treatment.
The association appealed to all health workers to consider
everyone presenting at the hospital for any ailment, as potential COVID-19
patient until proved otherwise.
The statement titled “As Nigeria hits the 4-Digit COVID-19
Incidence Figure:An Appeal to all Nigerians to help save the lives of
Healthcare Professionals.” reads in part
“So far, over 40 doctors and other healthcare workers have
tested positive with three doctors and one nurse paying the ultimate price.
This very disturbing and unsettling development comes against the unfolding
scenario as reported in the media that some VIPs in the society are refusing to
report to and be admitted at Isolation and Treatment centres for treatment,
rather, prefer to stay at other non-accredited facilities.
The Association perceives that by continued refusal to
adhere to instructions, some citizens have vowed to make healthcare workers
very vulnerable to contracting the disease.
NMA wishes to re-iterate that none of the infected healthcare
workers or those that died contracted the disease at an Isolation and Treatment
Centre, but in general public and private health facilities while treating
patients many of whom refused to disclose important medical/travel information
that would have increased the suspicion and facilitate early diagnosis of
COVID-19 infection.
NMA therefore appeals once again to government to expedite
action on distributing PPEs to public and private hospitals without delay. We
also remind our members all over the federation to consider everybody
presenting at the hospital for any ailment as potential COVID-19 patient until
proved otherwise. Our lives also matter!”
