The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has disclosed that a total of 264 medical doctors have been exposed to the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, out of which 20 have contracted the infection and 3 have died.
The Association said two doctors have recovered so far.
NMA made this known on Tuesday in a message of solidarity to health workers, especially those who contracted COVID-19 and a tribute to those who have died from the disease on the occasion of the World Day For Safety And Health at Work 2020.
In the message jointly signed by the NMA president, Francis Faduyile and the General Secretary, Olumuyiwa Odusote, the association salute the “astute conviction and unwavering patriotism” of all health workers in Nigeria especially the uncommon courage at the war front against COVID-19 and commiserate with the families and associates of the deceased.
The Association however restated that the occurrence could be reduced with strict adherence to the global best practice of Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) protocols.
“Availability of personal protective equipment (PPE) in adequate quality and quantity, amenities like running water, enabling environment in the health service space and spirit lifting motivation and incentives can mitigate hazardous environments, reduce drastically the incidence of nosocomial infections and engender a hazard-free health service environment.
“NMA acknowledges that contracting the virus from patients with the highly contagious COVID-19 is feasible even with the best of conditions due to the inevitability of close contact with the sick.”
The Association pledged to continue to engage with appropriate levels of authority to provide for the safety of healthcare workers all over Nigeria while mobilising to brace up to continue to defend Nigeria and its people against the ravaging army of Corona virus.
NMA announced that it has flagged off the “Save Our Private Health Practitioners (Sophep) Program” to mobilise resources in cash and kind to provide adequate PPE and consumables to assist private health facilities seemingly abandoned by public authorities to practice IPC for their safety and protection of their staff, their patients and by extension the general public.
