Showing its dissatisfaction with the way the fight against Covid-19 is being handled at all levels, the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), has called on the federal government to, as matter of urgency, reconvene the 2014 Ebola team to assist.
In a statement signed by its President, Dr. Francis Faduyile, the NMA noted that bringing back of the 2014 Ebola team would ensure that all useful previous experiences are harnessed to achieve success in the current pandemic.
“It is a highly held opinion of the Association that for the gains from institutional memory and individual expert experience, the authorities at the federal and state levels should reconvene the 2014 Ebola Team to assist at this point,” the NMA reiterated.
The further lamented the lack of coordination between the federal and state governments.
“The most important of this being effective coordination between the federal and state governments as well as other stakeholders which will ensure that efforts are not wasted, knowledge and health intelligence are shared for better results.
“NMA particularly observes that going by what is put out in the various media, the relevant federal and states’ authorities are working independently thus leaving several grounds uncovered.
“The Association further notes that a more result oriented situation would be one where the federal and the states are comparing notes, sharing intelligence and taking a uniform stand on issues like modalities for effective implementation of interrupting the chain of transmission (social distancing), case detection, contact tracing and self- isolation.
“These lapses have resulted in the recent cases where some individuals who defaulted the self-quarantine directives and went about mixing freely with the public,” the NMA noted.
The group also lamented the absence of purpose-built isolation centres, unlike in the not too distant past where Infectious Diseases Hospitals existed in every States of the Federation.
“To make matters worse, in most of our hospitals, there is severe inadequacy of critical care facilities like purpose-built Intensive Care Units (ICU).
“These ICUs with Ventilators/artificial respirators makes the difference between life and death in complications from Covid-19. It is scary that the dearth of these facilities is the same in all the 36 States and the FCT,” the NMA warns.
It however, applauded the federal and Lagos state governments on the efforts so far.
While urging the federal and state government to ensure the availability of Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) and other incentives that can motivate the health work force to put in their best, the NMA commended the “sacrifice of medical doctors and other health care workers who have continued to do their work despite the stark reality of being in the frontline in the war against COVID-19.”
