Coronavirus Pandemic, Featured
The Coronavirus pandemic has exposed the huge gaps in infrastructural needs of the country’s health sector and the challenges faced daily by the professionals in the sector. However, the promise by the government to provide insurance packages for the doctors, nurses and other workers in the health sector is a welcome development
By Anayo Ezugwu
AS Nigeria battles the spread of Coronavirus, COVID-19 pandemic across the country, health workers on the frontline of the fight are increasingly worried over exposure to the virus. Israel Blessing, chairperson, National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives, NANNM, Lagos State Council, said her members, who are on the frontline of the fight lack necessary protective equipment.
Speaking on Channels Television, Blessing said some of the challenges faced by health workers on the frontline of combating the disease were lack of Personal Protective Equipment, PPE and failure of patients to disclose their true travel history. She noted that the PPE is very important working tool at this critical time if the country really wants to defeat the virus.
“Since we are having cases all over the country, government and other private health facilities should provide these supplies for the health workers. Whether these health workers are seeing COVID-19 patients or not, because you never can tell who is infected or not. And worse still, some of the patients who come into the hospital end up hiding their travel history,” she said.
Blessing’s claim of lack of protective equipment was validated by the protest embarked upon by NANNM in Kwara State over poor working conditions for members in the state. The union said they were working under risky conditions and environment.
Shehu Aliu, chairman, NANNM, Kwara State chapter, said the association had written to the Chief Medical Director, CMD, Kwara General Hospital and its management to present their grievances. He, however, expressed optimism that the issues would be resolved soon.
Funke Alo, auditor, NANNM, said during the protest that designated pickup points for workers on duty are few, which was also a challenge. “This makes workers go through stress before reaching the pickup points to get transportation to work during this COVID-19 lockdown,’” she said.
Alo said the state government and hospital management were yet to reply to their letter, which contains the reason for the protest and risk involved in their work. “Various health workers, who took part in the protest, said that they would not resume work until the issues were addressed.”
As the death toll and number of infections mounted globally, the world began to panic; coping with the virus in Nigeria with a healthcare system that is overstretched and lacking almost everything from staff to equipment poses a great challenge. According to the World Health Organisation, WHO, as at Tuesday, April 7, at least 3,000 health workers, including doctors, nurses and laboratory scientists have been infected by the COVID-19 across the globe since the outbreak started in December 2019.
Apart from this, the hundreds of thousands of health workers battling this pandemic throughout the world work virtually round-the-clock and away from the comfort of their families. Their work is energy-draining and they endure routines that are better imagined than experienced.
Already, Nigeria is beginning to experience its fair share of the crisis among the health workers. As confirmed cases of the virus continue to increase, those on the front line are gradually being exposed to the virus. For instance, at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, UITH, more than 25 health workers are under isolation after coming in contact with Muideen Obanimomo, an accountant, who died of COVID-19 in the hospital.
Prof. Abdullahi Yussuf, chief medical director, UITH, said the state government had begun tracing 75 persons, who had contact with Obanimomo and another deceased. He said about 28 members of staff of the hospital involved in the treatment of Obanimomo were in isolation. “Already, all the UITH workers with close contact with the deceased patient on the night of his admission, or his corpse have been ordered to proceed on self-isolation. Besides, the ‘A and E’ ward and the ambulance used to convey his corpse to Offa had been promptly fumigated.
“We have contacted the state Technical Committee on COVID-19 to look for those who performed all funeral rites on the corpse and those who had contact with the wife of the deceased, including the mourners to keep them in isolation and give them necessary medical treatment. Though, we have taken all precautions, including the training of staff and other measures, we were taken aback to discover how a very senior consultant of this hospital had facilitated the admission of a suspected case of COVID-19 at the Accident and Emergency section of the hospital on the night of Wednesday, April 1, 2020,” he said.
Apart from UITH, the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, LUTH, has also isolated 12 health workers of the institution. Prof. Wasiu Adeyemo, chairman, Medical Advisory Council, LUTH, said the 12 workers might have had contact with a patient, who died of COVID-19 at the hospital recently.
Adeyemo, who spoke during the Presidential Taskforce on COVID-19 visit to the hospital, said none of the hospital doctors and nurses was unnecessarily exposed to a COVID-19 patient who died in the hospital last week. “The issue now is that once the patient is positive, everyone seems to be worried.
“We have identified about 12 of our staff who might have had contact with the deceased patient, and they are all under surveillance. This is the fourth day (Tuesday), and they are doing well,” he said.
Likewise, at Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital, ISTH, health workers are afraid they may be exposed to the Novel virus. Already, two medical doctors have tested positive for the virus after coming in contact with confirmed cases at the hospital. It was reported that the two affected doctors, who worked at the facility’s Pathology and Obstetrics and Gynecology departments respectively have been placed on self-isolation in their different homes.
It is believed that the doctors became infected after attending to two patients without protective gear and unknown to them that the patients were carriers of the virus. The doctors were only tested when they started exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19.
Meanwhile, in the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, UBTH, at least 25 health workers have been placed on self-isolation after coming in contact with three confirmed cases of the disease. So far, it is believed that not less than two health workers have been confirmed positive to the virus in the hospital.
The exposure of health workers to COVID-19 across the country has fuelled fear about lack of protection for health workers treating the affected patients in the country. As a result, the Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, has expressed worries over the working conditions of the country’s health personnel. Francis Faduyile, president, NMA, said Nigerian nurses worked under inhumane conditions capable of exposing them to dangerous health risk and death in the course of the job.
“As the World Health Organisation celebrates the nursing profession by making the theme of the 2020 World Health Day to be ‘Support Nurses and Midwives,’ the NMA acknowledges the enormous contributions of our nurses and midwives in the health sector and the country.
“We also note with particular concern hazards all healthcare professionals, including nurses working on the frontlines of the war against COVID-19 face continually. It is our prayer that those in authority will do all it takes to ensure a healthy working environment that is ennobling and dignifying,” he said.
As the concerns rise, federal government has assured all health workers on the frontline of the battle of a comprehensive insurance package. Government said the health workers would be adequately compensated and supported during and after the fight against the pandemic. Zainab Ahmed, minister of finance, budget and national planning, said the hazards they would be insured against included pathogen exposure, long working hours, psychological distress, fatigue, occupational burnout, stigma as well as physical and psychological violence.
“Adequate insurance, adequate compensation and support during and in the aftermath of the COVID 19 pandemic” will be offered frontline health workers,” she said.
Apart from this, the NMA has vowed that its members would not interact or collaborate with the 15-member Chinese medical team in the country. Faduyile said for the physicians to practice in the country, they would have to go through the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, MDCN, write examinations, and if they are successful, they could practice in the country.
“There is nothing the Chinese doctors will do that can complement what we are doing. Nigerian doctors have been doing well so far. We have made our position known that we do not need these Chinese here at this time.
“We heard the Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, said they were going to quarantine them for 14 days before being allowed to support the treatment of persons with COVID-19. For them to practice in Nigeria, they should undergo our council examinations, and if they are eventually successful, then they can complement our work. Otherwise, we will have no interaction with them,” he said.
But the China Railway Construction Corporation, CRCC, through its subsidiary China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation, CCECC, has said that the primary purpose of the visiting Chinese doctors to Nigeria is to escort the medical supply and provide guidance for their usage and distribution.
Micheal Jiang, managing director, CCECC Nigeria, said medical personnel would also provide CCECC employees with critical and necessary healthcare assistance where necessary. He said that they also came with adequate PPE and medical items for the employees.
“In addition, under the directive of the Chinese Embassy and in response to the Nigerian Government’s request, the working team may also share with Nigerian medical teams effective methods on how to contain the COVID-19 and provide advice on the use of relevant medical equipment. The team is not coming to treat Covid-19 patients in Nigeria.
“Finally, in keeping with its corporate value, stride with Nigeria, CCECC is participating in the construction of two COVID-19 response facilities in the FCT for free as part of its corporate social responsibilities. The facilities are a 196-bed at ThisDay Dome Treatment Centre, in collaboration with Sahara Group and Arise News; and the 150-bed Idu Depot Treatment Centre,” he said.
– Apr. 10, 2020 @ 18:55 GMT |
Tags: COVID-19: Challenges of health workers in Nigeria
