Resident doctors in the South-South geopolitical zone yesterday criticised the federal and state governments over the poor handling of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
The medical practitioners, under the aegis of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), disclosed this in a communiqué signed by the leader of the zone, Dr Selekeowei Kpuduwei, and the deputy, Dr Echeng Imoke.
“It is a well-known fact that many frontline workers especially doctors have been infected and died in other countries while providing care to COVID-19 patients, with Nigeria recording her first blow last week in Edo State,” the statement said.
Dozens of doctors at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) in Edo State had gone into self-isolation, following their contact with persons exposed to the virus.
According to the statement, “Before now, Nigerian doctors have always decried the rot in the health sector and in some occasions even gone on strike especially on the dilapidated nature of our teaching hospitals, federal medical centres and general hospitals; the lack of basic infrastructure; poor working environment; poor remuneration; inadequate manpower etc.
“It is worthy to note that the hazard allowance given to doctors and other health workers in Nigeria is a paltry sum of N5,000 only and there is no form of insurance for the Nigerian health workers for occupational injury or death.”
The group of doctors further faulted the shoddy composition of government bodies set up to contain the pandemic. It noted: “Members in the different state technical committees or task forces are being set up with politicians who have no medical background. These make vague statements that are not reassuring and decisions that do not follow the principles or guidelines of disaster/ risk management in global health.”
It said: “Most state governors are rather working with and relying on political appointees instead of working with experts. Hence the formation of technical committees without input from professional bodies like the Nigerian Medical Association and the different Associations of Resident Doctors (ARD) in the states who are mostly the frontline caregivers. We believe this anomaly will give room for diversion of funds donated or set aside for COVID-19.”
The doctors called on the Federal Government and state governors of Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo and Rivers States to review the 2020 health budget as a matter of emergency to reflect the needed funding and remuneration in the sector and disburse money optimally.
They also demanded the equipping of isolation centres to make them habitable and accelerated plan to build dedicated infectious disease hospitals in the states. They called for appropriate training and practical drills on how to handle COVID-19 cases for all frontline health workers.
“We condemn the use of N95 masks by politicians, which are in shortage abinitio for frontline workers. In the same vein, we demand the adequate supply of working materials such as personal protective equipment, facemasks (N95 and surgical), hand sanitisers, gloves etc., for all hospitals in the zone,” the group added.
