President Muhammadu Buhari on Saturday expressed sadness over the death of 20 doctors within one week in Nigeria from COVID-19-related complications.
Buhari also mourned the death of Commodore Ndongesit NKagha, also from the virus, his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, quoted him as saying.
The death of the doctors was announced on Friday by the Chairman of the Nigeria Medical Association, Abuja chapter, Enema Amodu.
Amodu explained that the late health workers included consultants, professors, and some resident doctors while adding that the figures keep increasing daily.
In a statement captioned ‘President Buhari salutes the sacrifices of 20 doctors killed by COVID-19; mourns Chief Ajakpo, Air Commodore Nkanga’, Shehu quoted Buhari as saying that health workers’ welfare is a priority for his regime.
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He said Buhari admitted that the nation’s health workers are operating under “severe limitations” but they are not deterred in discharging their duties in saving lives.
Shehu announced that the President has sent a condolence message to NMA over the death of the doctors due to the pandemic
“The death of our front line health workers in the battle against the COVID-19 pandemic is particularly sad because these professionals risk their own lives in order to save others,” Shehu quoted the president as saying.
“Our health workers are making maximum sacrifices for the country in line with their humanitarian calling, and this administration will leave no stone unturned in order to ensure their needs are met.
“Our health workers are operating under severe limitations, but they are undeterred in discharging their duties in saving lives.
“Let me say without any fear of contradiction that no reward is too much for the sacrifices of our health workers in the country, and this administration will give their welfare the priority it deserves.”
Shehu said the President has also expressed his sadness over the demise of the Galadiman Lokoja, Chief Godwin Ajakpo; and the chairman of Pan Niger Delta Forum, Air Commodore Idongesit Nkanga (retd.), a former military governor, who also reportedly died of COVID-19 on Thursday.
Nigerian authorities have raised the alarm over the resurgence in the pandemic, with daily infection rates exceeding the N1,000 mark in recent times.
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NMA urged the general public to adhere strictly to the non-pharmaceutical protocols of hand washing, sanitizing, properly wearing face masks, and maintaining social distancing.
It also urged patients to ensure full disclosure of the medical history of COVID-19 or COVID-19related occurrences, to enable health workers to better protect themselves while providing quality health care services.
NMA also criticized the meager sum of N5, 000 paid monthly to doctors as hazard allowance and implored the government to ensure an upward review of their welfare packages
“Everywhere around the world at this time, we are facing a second wave, and this second wave is so overwhelming and more catastrophic because a lot of people have gone back to the way of doing things thinking that the virus is over, and it is gone and they have let their guards down,” Amodu said.
“For those of us in the health sector, we have lost quite a number of colleagues in the last week alone. Across the nation, we have lost professors, consultants, residents (both senior and junior), very senior medical officers, and nurses – some of them you may not hear of and some you may hear depending on the circumstances and whatever positions they are occupying. This goes to show that this virus is very much with us and they call it a second wave, but it is actually a continuum because it never really left us.
“I am here this afternoon on Christmas Day to solidarize first with the families of our members that have lost loved ones. I want to make it public that we are with you in this very trying and grieving moment of sadness over the loss of our colleagues who most likely are the breadwinners of their families. We also want to use this opportunity to talk to our patients; when you come to us in the hospitals and clinics, please oblige us and wear your mask. Tell us the truth about your past medical condition and don’t hold any information back.
“The figure of the number of our colleagues that have died is evolving everyday but as I am standing here, I got a call from a colleague who is in an isolation centre, and he is not sounding very good. I can give you a figure now that by evening it will change. But I can tell you from the top of my head across the country, we have lost not less than 20 doctors in the last week.
“By the grace of God, I am standing here today as a survivor because as an ENT consultant, I inadvertently saw a patient that I did not know had COVID-19 and she did not tell me, and she knew. I was exposed and contracted the virus; I developed symptoms but by the grace of God my colleagues rallied around me and I survived.
“Our patients need to follow the laid-down rules and we are not degrading or insulting anybody. As you enter the hospital premises, most hospitals now have facilities for you to wash your hands and ensure that you wear your mask – please comply. Also, when you sit with a doctor, ensure you keep a safe distance.”
The President of the NMA, Prof. Innocent Ujah, has not rested on his oars since this pandemic broke out. I was privileged to be part of a team that went to see the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dr. Femi Gbajabiamila. The President put forward the issue of our hazard allowance. There is no need to hide anything anymore. I can tell you that our hazard allowance is N5, 000 per month. The Speaker of the House of Representatives has assured my President that they will do something about it and we believe he will do something about it because he is a legislator that believes that the health sector is key to development.
