Fred Ezeh, Abuja
The President, Commonwealth Medical Association (CMA), Dr. Osahon Enabulele, has raised the alarm that several frontline health workers responding to COVID-19 cases were at risk of contracting and possibly spreading the disease to patients because most of them were working without personal protective equipment (PPEs).
He expressed fear that the situation could affect the commitment of physicians and other healthcare workers, as they would be discouraged from attending to patients particularly suspected COVID-19 cases.
Dr. Enabulele, in a statement, yesterday, urged Commonwealth-member countries to urgently procure and deploy more resources including PPEs, in addition to providing special incentives and other welfare packages for doctors and health workers responding to the pandemic.
He expressed fear at the astronomical increase in the number of Commonwealth countries affected by COVID-19 with unfortunate loss of physicians, health workers and citizens and great disruptions of global activities.
But he is optimistic that the world will overcome the pandemic as was the case against some diseases that had ravaged several countries such as SARS, swine Flu, Bird flu and Ebola.
He commended health workers for their sustained commitment to duty and provision of quality care to citizens despite the resource challenges and lack of adequate incentives.
The CMA president is convinced that sincere global commitment was required and must remain a ‘one for all, and all for one’ fight against COVID-19.