The Nigeria Medical Association, NMA, says at least 20 Nigerian doctors have died from complications arising from coronavirus in the last one week.
The Chairman of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), FCT, Chapter, Enema Amodu, who disclosed this in a press briefing on Friday, said the deceased health workers include consultants, professors and some resident doctors.
He said the figures keep increasing daily, pointing out that healthcare workers are often at risk of exposure to infections, including COVID-19 as they are the first responders to patients.
Amodu regretted that although health workers have been advised to use full Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), before attending to patients, many do not have access to the equipment and as a result, over a 1000 health workers have tested positive for COVID-19 in Nigeria.
Also according to Nigerian Health Minister, Osagie Ehanire, as at June 2, at least 812 health workers have tested positive for COVID-19.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has also disclosed that as at July, over 10,000 health workers in 40 Africa countries have been infected with COVID-19 virus.
Mr Amodu who noted that the exact number of health workers that have been infected in Nigeria so far cannot be ascertained yet, called for action amidst the second wave of the pandemic already ravaging the world.
He said the second wave is more catastrophic due to non-adherence to non-pharmaceutical measures put in place to curtail the spread of the virus..
He said some doctors contracted the virus as a result of poor knowledge of patient’s medical history and travels.
The NMA Chairman enjoined patients, to always comply with COVID-19 protocols when coming to hospitals like wearing face masks, as well as telling doctors the truth about their past medical condition and stop holding any information back.
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