Hospitals rejecting non-COVID-19 patients causing unnecessary deaths
The Federal Government has asked private hospitals to steer clear of the management of COVID-19 for now due to the risk of infection.
It advised Nigerians who felt the symptoms of the disease to go for test and if positive, they should go into the isolation centres for care by experts.
Mr Boss Mustapha, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and Chairman, Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19, said this on Friday in Abuja at the 32nd joint national media briefing of the task force.
“We shall continue to encourage all Nigerians that feel the symptoms to test and if positive, go into the isolation centres for care by experts. We still discourage management of this infectious disease by private hospitals due to the risk of infection.
“An emerging issue from all these testimonies is the issue of prescription for treatments. We should always remember that the symptoms of COVID-19 mimic some illnesses we already know.
“But treating the symptoms is not the same as treating the virus and for this reason, we strongly discourage self-medication,’’ the SGF said while congratulating Nigerians who had recovered from COVID-19.
“The PTF congratulates and appreciates the testimonies of Nigerians who have recovered from COVID-19 which has given us more insights and further strengthens the need to adhere strictly to guidelines issued.’’
Mustapha said unnecessary deaths were being recorded across the country because hospitals were turning back non-COVID-19 related patients.
According to him, there is a marked reduction in the delivery of non-COVID-19 related services in the nation’s hospitals.
Mustapha recalled:“The Honourable Minister of Health had on several occasions implored our health institutions not to jeopardise offering critical health services to patients who require attention.
“The PTF wishes to re-iterate this call and request that health service providers should help relieve the burden of disease in the country by offering the required services.
“As at present records show that we may be experiencing more unnecessary deaths because our hospitals are turning back non-COVID-19 related patients.
On donations to the fight against the virus, the SGF noted following the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic corporate bodies, development partners, individuals, groups, and religious bodies among others donated in cash and kind.
“A total sum of N792,121,613.89 was donated by Nigerians as at 14th May, 2020, with some Nigerians donating N1 (one naira) and has been credited into the TSA account.
“For effective coordination and accountability, the Office of the Accountant General published five bank accounts into which donations could be paid and swept into a CBN TSA account, daily.
“Consistent with the open government policy driven by transparency and accountability of the Muhammadu Buhari administration, the PTF will provide details of all cash donations would be publicly provided.
“The OAGF has published the details of inflow into the FGN COVID-19 Eradication Support Accounts,’’ Mustapha said, commending the sacrifice of some ordinary Nigerians typified by the donations as low as one Naira which came from the “purest of hearts.”
He also commended other groups that have been supportive in the discharge of PTF mandate, including the Nigeria Police, the armed forces, the intelligence community and the para-military serviceswhich had helped in maintaining security, carrying out enforcement and staying in the front lines always.
He also acknowledged the services of the Nigeria Airforce for airlift logistics that has made it easy for the surveillance and surge support mobilization by the PTF and the NCDC even at short notices.
On the ongoing WHO coordinated solidarity trial for the cure of Coronavirus, Mustapha confirmed that five states in Nigeria were participating in the trial, saying at the end of the exercise relevant health authorities would make pronouncement on acceptable drugs for treating COVID-19.
“For some time now, public discussion has centred on the need to look inwards for a local cure and that the social media particularly, has been awash with various claims of treatment for treatment of COVID-19 using local herbs. The PTF remains firmly supportive of the development of a cure for this disease. However, we must follow laid down protocols.
“The PTF National Coordinator has been mandated to publish some of these guidelines for public consumption and expressed hope that this would shift the conversation to the laboratories while the nation await results for the greater good of the nation.
“As additional information, I am pleased to inform you that the WHO recently coordinated a recent virtual meeting from 70 traditional medicine experts from countries across Africa to re-emphasize the recognition of the potency of traditional cure.
“In providing leadership for the fight against this pandemic, Mr. President did encourage State Governments to adapt national guidelines as suitable to their state and expects that such adaptation should be informed by empirical evidence of progress made.
“The PTF, therefore, urges states that are lifting restrictions which allows for large congregation of people to weigh their consequences in relation to creating opportunities for more seeding of the virus thereby negating gains already made,’’ the SGF also said.
On Kano cases, Mustapha said the PTF had received media reports about “an extrapolated level of prevalence of COVID-19’’ in Kano based on the number of some foreign nationals that had been evacuated from Nigeria.
According to him, the PTF team of experts is still on ground in Kano and is working round the clock with the teams from the state based on scientific and statistical analysis.
He urged members of the public to remain vigilant and seek authoritative information from the public health authorities at all times.
On the first phase of eased lockdown, the PTF chairman said: “Going forward, science and statistics shall play major roles in the decisions to be taken. Similarly, community engagement shall become a strategy of focus for the PTF.”
Mustapha expressed government’s appreciation to the Lagos Chapter of the Federation of Tourism Association of Nigeria (FTAN) for making hotels available to the state government for use as isolation centres.
“Similarly, we recognize some airlines such as Dana, Aero Contractors and Bristow Helicopters to provide support for the movement of logistics and supplies.’’
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