Connect with us

News

Doctor in Edo treating covid-19 patients now infected with the virus

Published

on

National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has said that one of its members in Edo State has contracted COVID-19 while treated patients infected with the dreaded virus.

NARD President, Dr Aliyu Sokomba, who stated this on Thursday said the doctor was treating coronavirus patients at the Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital, Edo State.

Sokomba appeared on a Channels Television’s programme, Sunrise Daily, when he made this disclosure.

“At the moment, as health workers continue to play their part in containing the spread of the disease, the health workers are not protected.

“One of our colleagues died just yesterday from Lassa fever. This is the state of our health care institutions and that is the fate of most health care workers in the country.

“Dr. Philp Dzuana is the sixth doctor to have died of Lassa fever in the country and very little is being done to getting this kind of situation under control.

“Just yesterday again, one of our doctors in ISTH, Iruaa, had tested positive for the COVID-19 disease.

“What that means is that these doctors that are testing positive to various diseases are being left alone to take care of themselves.

“There is no form of life insurance for them. There is no form of compensation. To say the least, what these doctors benefit at the end of every month as hazard allowance is N5,000.

READ ALSO: COVID-19: Buhari govt says it regrets begging US billionaire for ventilators

“So, we are worried that if victory against COVID-19, Lassa fever outbreak in the country is to be achieved, the welfare and wellbeing of doctors and other health workers who are on the frontline must be secured.”

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now