» FG Not Serious About Fighting Ebola– Doctors, Nurses «

The Lagos State chapter of the Nigerian Medical
Association and the National Association of
Nigerian Nurses and Midwives have accused the
Federal Government of not being proactive
enough in the fight against the Ebola Virus
Disease.
The doctors and nurses said at separate news
conferences in Lagos on Sunday, that the
government had yet to put in place adequate
measures to protect health workers willing to
manage those infected by the deadly virus.
The state NMA, through its chairman, Dr. Tope
Ojo, therefore challenged the federal and Lagos
state governments to provide protective kits and
address the issue of hazard allowance for
doctors, nurses and other health workers ready
to be involved in treating infected persons.
It also faulted the life insurance cover
announced by both the federal and state
governments, saying its provisions had yet to be
spelt out.
The NMA said, ‘‘Any health worker that is
managing an Ebola patient is risking his/her life
and that of his family. Ebola has killed over 61
doctors in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. It is
a serious issue.
“You don’t just dangle life insurance without
documents. We cannot endanger our lives
unless we know what is at stake.We should be
assured that should anything happen to us, our
families are catered for.
“The terms of the insurance must be in public
domain in a transparent manner.
“It is sad that it had to take an Ebola outbreak,
for government to realise that health workers
need life insurance cover.”
Also at the news conference, the association’s
Secretary, Dr. Babajide Saheed, said it was
imperative for both governments to put in place
adequate infection control measures to
effectively check the spread of the EVD.
Saheed said,” Please you journalists should visit
the IDH(Infectious Diseases Hospital in Yaba and
find out what the Federal Government has put
in place for effective infection control.
“Please compare it to what health workers in
Guinea and Liberia had while treating Ebola
patients.
“Till now, the Federal and state governments
have not come out with a concrete position on
the life insurance cover they have offered to us
and the public.
“By protecting health workers that are managing
suspected or confirmed cases of Ebola, you are
protecting the public from infections, because
doctors are part of the society.”
The Lagos NMA also used the opportunity to
declare that the nationwide strike by doctors
had not been called off.
Also, nurses, at their own news conference, said
it was regrettable that the Federal Government
had not learnt to act fast during emergency
situations like the Ebola virus outbreak.
They also berated the Federal Ministry of Health
for negotiating with the NMA to end its strike,
saying that the association (NMA) was not a
trade union but a professional body which had
no right to boycott work.
Their President, Mr. Abdrufai Adeniji, said, “It is
appalling that Nigeria is still at the stage of
making arrangements when the virus has
already been granted certificate of occupancy
and has taken full residence in the country.
“Government should learn to copy true
international best practice which its agents are
quick to shout when they are on their mission of
deceit.
“Serious governments have already put in place
precautionary measures to prevent the
pandemic on their soil and some even have
treatments even though such are still in the
clinical trial stage.
“Government needs to understand that its
business should be doing more than it says and
taking actions that surpass mere arrangements.”
He commiserated with the family of the nurse
who lost her life after contracting the disease
while treating Patrick Sawyer, the Liberian man
who brought the disease into the country.
Adeniji urged nurses to exercise extreme caution
while treating Ebola patients as they stood a
higher risk of contracting the disease than
doctors.
He said, “We hereby call on nurses to remain
committed to their calling and be cautious of the
precautionary measures to forestall further
incidences. The government at all levels should
do their part to provide adequate equipment
infrastructure, protective wears, policies to take
care of the victims of the virus and other deadly
issues.
“The government should immediately set up an
intervention team to attend to the situation.”