NMA Blames 40 Doctors Infected With COVID-19 On Nigerian Elites Avoiding Isolation Centres

The Nigerian Medical Association, NMA has blamed Nigerian elites as being the cause of the 40 medical doctors who contracted the dreadful coronavirus disease.

Meridian reported few days ago, the Presidential Task Force PTF on COVID-19 revealed that over 40 health workers tested positive for the diseaase.

In a joint statement by the NMA President, Dr. Francis Faduyile and Secretary General, Dr. Olumuyiwa Odusote, respectively, titled “As Nigeria Hits the 4-Digit COVID-19 Incidence Figure: An Appeal to all Nigerians to help save the lives of Healthcare Professionals”, the association confirmed that over 40 medical doctors besides other health workers have been infected with the virus so far, with three doctors and one nurse paying the ultimate price.

The association said no healthcare worker had contracted the disease at Isolation Centres but were infected by Nigerians who, instead of reporting to the various designated treatment centres, opted for private hospitals, which unknowingly started treating ailments they later found out to be caused by the ravaging virus.

The statement partly reads: “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 appealed once again to government to expedite action on distributing PPEs (Personal Protective Equipment) 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!,” the association added.

As at 11:30 pm 24th April there are 1095 confirmed cases of #COVID-19 reported in Nigeria.

So far, Lagos has 657 cases, Fct 138, Kano 73, Ogun 35, Gombe 30, Katsina 21, Osun 20, Edo 19, Oyo 18, Borno 12, Kwara 11, Akwa-ibom 11, Kaduna 10, Bauchi 8, Delta 6, Ekiti 4, Ondo 3, Rivers 3, Enugu 2, Niger 2, Jigawa 2, Abia 2, Sokoto 2, Zamfara 2, Benue 1, Adamawa 1, Anambra 1, and Plateau state 1.
 

Meanwhile, 208 patients have been discharged across the country with 32 deaths recorded so far.