Connect with us

News

Nigerian govt threatens to shut down private hospitals treating COVID-19 patients

Published

on

Nigerian govt threatens to shut down private hospitals treating COVID-19 patients

The Federal Government on Thursday warned that private hospitals treating COVID-19 patients in the country would be shut down.

The Minister of Finance, Osagie Ehanire made the threat during the briefing of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 in Abuja.

The minister also advised against physical contacts with grandparents who were vulnerable to coronavirus, adding that it was unfortunate that a medical doctor (in Lagos) died of the virus after contracting it.

According to him, the death of the medical doctor underscored the risk involved in treating people infected with COVID-19 at an unauthorised medical facility.

Ehanire said: “Quite unfortunately, the latest fatality in Lagos is a medical professional. 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; maintain a high index of suspicion for COVID-19; and protect yourselves, your loved ones and your colleagues.

Read also: Why government can’t provide free electricity to Nigerians —TCN

“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.”

Ehanire further stated that the next phase of the PTF strategy in its effort to curb the spread of the virus would focus on community testing.

Speaking on complaints by health workers in some hospitals that PPE was inadequate, the minister said that it was important to manage the national stockpile of the equipment because of the inability of foreign manufacturers to produce the materials.

Explaining procedure for discharging patients from the isolation centres, Ehanire said it varied from one patient to another, stressing that it was important that for a patient to be discharged must be tested twice and the result must be negative.

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