By AKINOLA AJIBOLA and FRIDAY OKEREGBE

The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has explained how no fewer than 20 members of the union died of COVID-19 in the last one week.

NMA Chairman in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Dr Enema Amodu, disclosed this to reporters at a briefing on Friday in Abuja.

He noted that the late medical doctors contracted the disease in the course of treating infected patients who failed to disclose their true health status.

Dr Amodu, however, called on patients visiting clinics and hospitals to declare their true health status to avoid exposing doctors and other health workers to the risk of disease infection.

He said, “For those of us in the health sector, we have lost quite a number of colleagues in the last one week alone. Across the country, we have lost not less than 20 doctors in the last one week.”

“We also want to use this opportunity to talk to our patients; as you come to us in the hospitals, in the clinics, please oblige us.

“Wear your mask. Tell us the truth about your past medical condition and don’t hold any information back,” he added.

NMA Chairman in the FCT, Dr Enema Amodu, briefs reporters in Abuja on December 25, 2020.

Second Wave, More Catastrophic

As more doctors and health workers are contracting COVID-19, the NMA FCT chairman appealed to the government to improve supplies of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in the medical facilities.

He also called for the provision of essential drugs in the hospitals, saying the doctors were ready to combat the second wave of the virus.

According to Dr Amodu who is an Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) surgeon and consultant, it is important for patients coming to hospitals to fully disclose their health status as he once contracted the disease from an infected patient.

“I am the Chairman of NMA, FCT and by the special grace of God, I am standing here today as a survivor because I inadvertently saw a patient that I didn’t know had COVID-19 and she didn’t tell me, and she knew.

“I was exposed, I contacted the virus, I developed symptoms but by the grace of God, my colleagues rallied around me and I survived,” he revealed.

The medical doctor said, “This second wave is so overwhelming; this second wave is more catastrophic, and this probably would be because a lot of people have gone back to the way of doing things.

“They have thought that the virus is over, it has come, and it is gone, and they have let their guards down.” (Channels TV)

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