Fred Ezeh, Abuja
The lives of healthcare workers at public health facilities are increasingly being threatened following an upsurge in community transmission of the dreaded coronavirus in Nigeria.
Findings revealed that health workers in Nigeria are increasingly testing positive for COVID-19 which they contracted while attending to some patients who knowingly or otherwise were positive for the virus.
On Monday, a frontline medical doctor at the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, Dr. Adedayo Williams, tested positive for COVID-19.
The doctor who is the President of ARD, UCH, Ibadan, is believed to had contracted the virus while attending to a patient who had the virus and was unaware.
National President, Association of Resident Doctors of Nigeria (ARD), Dr. Aliyu Sokomba, who disclosed the information on Monday, raised the alarm of increased transmission of the dreaded coronavirus in hospital facilities.
He said: “Just yesterday (Sunday), Dr. Adedayo, called to inform me that he has tested positive for the virus and it was confirmed that he contracted the virus in the cause of treating a patient for an ailment not COVID-19 but had the virus.”
Dr. Sokomba also made reference to a several cases at different health facilities in Nigeria where many frontline health care workers including nurses and doctors have contracted the disease due absent or poor use of Personal Protective Equipments (PPEs).
He expressed concern that more frontline health workers would contract the virus unknowingly from patients, some of whom, are unaware of that they carry the virus.
He thus suggested a compulsory COVID-19 test for all patients that visit health care facilities. In addition to that, adequate PPEs should be provided for health care workers who are responding to the pandemic.
The President, National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), Adeniji Abdulrafiu, disclosed that no fewer than five nurses have tested positive for COVID-19 which they contracted while attending to patients with one death.
He said: “We have a chaotic situation at General Hospital in Igando, Lagos, where several nurses went into isolation after they unknowingly treated a COVID-19 patient. Three of them have tested positive for the virus and more result are still expected. Few days ago, we lost a senior nurse at Maiduguri who died of COVID-19.
“Nurses and other health workers are daily being exposed to high risk of contracting the virus by patients some of whom are unaware or otherwise that they are positive for COVID-19. However, we have set a situation room to monitor that situation and protect our people. We have also encouraged them to take all precautionary measures to protect themselves because every patient is a ‘suspect’ until proven otherwise.”
He accused the Federal Government of not evenly distributing the available Personal Protective Equipments (PPEs) to all health workers, but pushing them to isolation centres and other areas of interest.
On his side, the President, Association of Resident Doctors (ARD) FCT Chapter, Dr. Roland Aigbovo, said they have not recorded any such case in Abuja, possibly because they offer limited medical services at FCT Administration owned hospitals.
“Because we scaled down medical services at FCT Administration owned hospitals, medical doctors and health workers take time to examine few patients that visit the hospitals. In addition to that, health workers in FCT have been trained and adequately enlightened on how best to handle any medical issue irrespective of the ailments.
“They take time to thoroughly check the medical history of patients before attending to them.
The President, Commonwealth Medical Association (CMA), Dr. Osahon Enabulele, blamed the government for the escalation of the virus in Nigeria beyond what it ought to be.
He said: “Many state governments failed to follow the suggestions by medical professionals. Many of them were skeptical to take drastic decisions to contain the spread of COVlD-l9 in Nigeria, particularly as it concern lockdown order. Even now, some choose to adopt partial lockdown of their state while didn’t do at all for whatever reason.”
Howbeit, he cautioned all medical workers to strictly use their PPEs whenever they are attending to any patient, particularly out-patient, who has no medical record with the hospital.
He said: “We are in period of pandemic and as such, health workers should be extra careful now. Every health workers is expected to be fully kitted with PPE before attending to any patient. Every patient is a suspect and potential carrier. So, a health worker must consciously and respectfully treat every patient like that until proven otherwise.
“In the event that there is no PPE for the health worker, the best option is virtual consultation using different technological platforms available.
He appealed to patients to always divulge all the necessary information that would help the health workers serve tnem better and also stay safe. “Some patients choose not to disclose all their full medical history and other symptoms that would help the health worker to arrive at a good conclusion. That is too dangerous for both the health worker and the patient.