By Chimezie Godfrey
The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), has said that the easing of the lockdown in FCT, Lagos, Ogun and other parts of the country, is premature and may lead to increase in the spread of COVID-19 pandemic.
In a statement on Friday, the NMA President, Dr. Francis Faduyile revealed that there has been an upward spike in the spread of the deadly coronavirus pandemic in the country of recent.
“As the incidence of the COVID-19 hits the 2000th mark by this weekend just seven days after hitting the 1000th mark, it figuratively tilts the epidemiological curve towards an upward spike.
“Moreso, the revelation by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) that the nation lacks for bed spaces in Lagos worsens this frightening scenario.
“The confusing situation in Kano is neither unravelled nor resolved. At the same time, some States continue to live in the delusion of zero COVID-19 incidences.
“At the point we are today, the Nigerian Medical Association unequivocally states that the easing of the lockdown even in phases is very premature. Nigeria should learn from her neighbour Ghana where the same action produced a 100% increase in infection rate in just a week.
“Instead, the association believes that agencies of State should intensify efforts through mass enlightenment campaigns beyond current attempts to explain the dangers inherent in easing the lockdown prematurely in the face of rising infection rates and also for the palliatives to reach the needy.”
Faduyile appreciated the efforts of State and non-State operators on their efforts so far, but urged them to do more.
According to him, the association bemoans the rather meddlesome pronouncements by some state actors on the management protocols for COVID-19 in the country.
“In particular, we view the directive by the Bauchi State Governor for the use of a specific drug in the treatment of positive cases as improper and unethical.
“Medical doctors have the prerogative to use whatever treatment regimen they consider best based on evidence and presentation of the patients.
“We, therefore, implore our leaders to desist from distracting our time tested doctors and health workers. Instead, they should encourage them through the provision of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), incentives and communication tools to interact with peers within the country and overseas as it is customary in the world of medical science to arrive at the best possible interventions for their patients.
“With 113 Healthcare Workers (HCWs) in Nigeria reportedly infected with COVID-19 in the course of discharging their duties, NMA reminds all doctors and HCWs not to let down their guards in adhering strictly to Infection Prevention and Control protocols,” he said.
The NMA President maintained that all HCWs should wear the proper PPE before attending to any patient as every patient is a potential COVID-19 patient.
He noted with dismay the delay in distributing the available PPE to all public and private hospitals to prevent, detect and treat more patients as it ought to, and pray that the burgeoning bureaucracy is not a clog to the wheels of progress in this regard.
“We wish that the “Panel of Experts” recently inaugurated by the Federal Ministry of Health is empowered to immediately commence their work of thinking, analyzing, synthesizing, collating and disseminating the most relevant medical information that informs the best management of our COVID-19 patients.”
He added that Science and knowledge must inform policies and politics.
“We appreciate the FMOH for finally listening to the plea we made several weeks ago.
“We wish the nation and our people the safety and protection from COVID-19 while praying the authorities to continue to carry out all necessary and more invigorated knowledge-based interventions towards a zero COVID-19 Nigeria,” Faduyile stressed.
