Don’t Treat COVID-19 Patients – FG Warns Unaccredited Hospitals
- Threatens shutdown
BY EDMOND ODOK, ABUJA – The Federal Government has threatened to sanction and shutdown any unauthorized hospital that treats coronavirus (COVID-19) patients in the country.
Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, warned that government will henceforth take appropriate steps to close health facilities handling COVID-19 cases without proper accreditation.
Speaking at Thursday’s media briefing by the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19, Dr Ehanire said; “Practitioners engaging in unauthorised treatment of COVID-19, run the risk of being shut down for decontamination.”
According to the Minister, “I shall use this opportunity to again strongly advise health professionals against private or secret management of people who have COVID-19 outside of accredited health facilities.
“We cannot afford avoidable morbidity and mortality. Private facilities must obtain accreditation to treat this highly infectious disease.
“Practitioners engaging in unauthorised treatment of COVID-19, run the risk of being shut down for decontamination.”
Dr Ehanire described the latest Covid-19 fatality in Lagos that claimed the life of a medical professional, as very unfortunate, saying the sad occurrence explains government’s consistency in cautioning health workers to strictly adhere to all instructions and regulations while always utilising Personal Protective Equipment (PPE); and maintaining a high index of suspicion for COVID-19.
“I want to express my condolences to the family. This highlights the risk to health workers in this COVID-19 response. Patients with mild symptoms are still very highly infectious, and mild symptoms in one person could be deadly infection in another.
“That is why we recommend the suspension of close contact between grandchildren and grandparents, at this time. Our valuable health workers are urged to adhere to all government instructions and regulations; always utilise personal protective equipment (PPE); maintain a high index of suspicion for COVID-19; and protect yourselves, your loved ones and your colleagues,” Dr Ehanire said.
He further stated that the Ministry and all relevant health institutions are currently focused on carrying out more community testing and social mobilisation at the grassroots to ensure physical distancing is fully observed in the war against coronavirus pandemic in the country.
Consequently, the Minister said government is determined to continuously push out appropriate messages and advisories on the use of face masks or improvised face coverings like handkerchiefs or scarves for the mouth and nose, to reduce risk of transmitting the virus.
Giving further updates on COVID-19, the Minister said the national testing capacity has increased to 3,000 per day in 13 molecular laboratories activated by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) nationwide.
He said NCDC’s target for the week was to significantly increase the national testing capacity, adding that two more laboratories will soon come on stream in Borno and Sokoto states.
Dr Ehanire also commented on the revised case definition for testing, stressing that these include all patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome; contacts of people confirmed to have COVID-19, with fever and respiratory tract symptoms; and persons with fever and respiratory tract symptoms of unknown cause.
On stigmatization concerns in the country, he regretted that COVID-19 outbreak had provoked social stigma and discrimination against anyone thought to have been in contact with the virus as well as people of certain backgrounds.
Dr Ehanire said it was unfortunate that those with the disease; their caregivers, family, friends and communities, are being labelled, stereotyped, discriminated against, and treated poorly by other Nigerians despite government’s passionate appeal to the contrary.
