Over 40 health workers in the frontline of tackling the Covid-19 pandemic have tested positive to the killer virus while a good number has been quarantined in the last two weeks due to exposure to the virus.
This comes on the heels of Federal Government’s appeal to Nigerians not to stigmatize patients of coronavirus.
The Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire, disclosed this Thursday in Abuja at the daily briefing of the Presidential Taskforce on Covid-19.
Ehanire warned health workers not to treat any patient without using adequate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and insisted that frontline health workers must undertake refresher course on continuous professional training.
He assured the health workers that government would continue to provide them with the necessary PPEs, but urged them to take all necessary precautions for their own safety and remain vigilant in the line of duty and maintain a high index of suspicion for Covid-19.
The Minister said the strategy adopted by Nigeria to treat Covid-19 is to admit all persons who test positive for the virus into designated accredited treatment facilities to contain its spread and ensure prompt management to forestall complications.
“I urge all individuals who test positive for COVID-19 to report at any of our designated isolation and treatment centres. The FMoH must be able to account for all infected persons and ascertain containment of the infection.
“States are strongly encouraged to ensure that all persons who test positive for COVID-19 are admitted at the designated centres and ensure the public suffers no hazard from choices individuals make. The Federal Ministry of Health can assist all persons seeking privacy, security and anonymity to find the best treatment,” Ehanire stated.
According to him, “contact tracing is key to containing the infection. As persons are confirmed positive for COVID-19, we trace all contacts they had in the preceding 14 days. This is a tedious and meticulous activity for which the cooperation of the public is always sought. The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control has finalised contact tracing guidelines with all states to actively aid case finding.
“The other key factor in our response is where capacity is needed after positive testing. It is to isolate and treat all persons found to be positive for COVID-19. Especially challenging are persons who test positive but have mild or no symptoms, but are infectious to others.
“These persons make up the majority of COVID-19 cases in Nigeria, and must be referred to isolation and treatment centres with accredited infection prevention and control protocols.
“Failure to isolate such persons constitutes a risk to society but also to the individual himself, since his condition could change suddenly. Infection can persist in the community and transmission continues if such persons continue to mingle in society”.
He informed that the Federal Government, through the Federal Ministry of Health and Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC) has continued to support preparedness and response to Covid-19 in all States and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), adding that the Rapid Response Teams are working closely with State Emergency Operations Centre to strengthen operations.
Giving update on testing capacity for Covid-19, Ehanire said, “today NCDC laboratories have capacity to test 1,500 samples per day in 13 laboratories across the country. However, we are testing on average 600 samples per day because that is all the samples collected and sent for testing.
“Factors implicated in the process may include surveillance sample collection and mode of transportation, which can be improved to increase operational efficiency. This is where a little investment can help.
“The results of such intensification of efforts can be seen especially in Lagos where improved logistic management increased sample collection and significantly reduced turn- around time.
“As we further increase our testing capacity and accredit more laboratories, an even more robust sample transportation infrastructure will be in place, to promptly convey samples to any of the 13 labs activated so far.”
Meanwhile, the federal government has appealed to Nigerians to stop stigmatizion of patients of coronavirus pandemic.
The Secretary to the government of the Federation (SGF)and Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on the Coronavirus pandemic, Boss Mustapha, made the appeal in the daily briefing of the PTF on COVID-19 in Abuja.
This is just as government also expressed concern over non- compliance with the extant rules on treatment of COVID-19 patients by private medical practitioners.
Mustapha, while noting that the stigmatization still persists, described it as “counter-productive” to government’s efforts”.
Mustapha said the disease does not discriminate on status, creed, tribe or color and anybody can be infected, adding, “it is my humble appeal that once you are infected by this disease, you should immediately report to appropriate medical facilities in your own interest and the interest of your loved ones.
He asserted that “COVID-19 is not a condition and there is no need to stigmatize anybody.
“I must remind all of us that over 90 percent of infected persons recover from this disease. In this regard, I urge all those who have recovered from this disease to tell their stories.”
He assured that the PTF has continued to collaborate with the governors in the various states, adding that “the outcome of the conversation with the NGF will form a critical part of the recommendations to be made to Mr. President in the coming days”
Mustapha, who also spoke on the situation in Kano, noted that it was still being assessed and monitored closely.
“Based on preliminary findings, the PTF has directed the NCDC to send an enhanced support team, mobilize resources for contact tracing and immediately ensure that necessary steps are taken in conjunction with the state government to contain the spread of the pandemic in Kano and stop the city from becoming the next epicentre.
The PTF on COVID-19 Chairman noted that the team “views with some measure of concern the non-compliance by private medical facilities with the directive to seek accreditation before treating COVID-19 related cases.
“The highly infectious nature of COVID-19 if not well managed in purpose-built facilities and specialists, pose a lot of danger not just to the medical staff in such hospitals but also to other patients and loved ones at home. We therefore appeal strongly to operators of private medical facilities wishing to continue to treat COVID-19 cases to apply to the Federal Ministry of Health urgently, for accreditation.
Tony Ailemen, Innocent Odoh, Harrison Edeh, James Kwen
