Health workers in Lagos State may currently be at risk as
the scarcity of personal protective equipment, especially masks, infrared
thermometers, sanitisers and protective coverall has hit many of the public
hospitals in the state.
Lagos is the state most hit by the COVID-19 pandemic in
Nigeria. It accounts for 30 of Nigeria’s 46 confirmed cases as at the time of
this report.
The state government has confirmed the scarcity of the
equipment (PPE), but insisted that efforts are being made to make provisions
for as many health facilities as possible.
Investigations by PREMIUM TIMES revealed that at Lagos
Island maternity, and various general hospitals located in Ifako-Ijaiye, Lagos
Island, Ikorodu, Gbagada, among others, protective tools are being rationed
among workers.
The Island maternity’s chapter of the National Association
of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM) was compelled to invite experts in
sanitiser production to teach its members on how to locally mass-produce
sanitisers as part of their protective measures.
Speaking with our reporter, the chairman of the association,
Ayobami Amusan, said the safety of its members was paramount, and his executive
committee decided to sacrifice, especially in the face of scarcity that has hit
the country due to the rampaging coronavirus disease.
He said; “There is no doubt that Lagos State government is
working hard to combat this terrible virus, and the scarcity of PPE is not
unexpected because the problem is global.
“Our people here are also not helping matters because
marketers now hoard things to sell at higher prices. So, when we appraised the
situation, we felt apart from providing care, the association needed to improve
the skills of its members so that we can improvise during difficult times like
this.”
Mr Amusan said every other department and unit also
benefited from the training and that the sanitiser made was distributed around
the hospital to help everyone.
“You know that healthcare requires team work and you cannot
be selfishly protecting yourselves while others are not. Attendants, cleaners,
doctors, medical recorders, accountants, and everyone working within the
hospital environment deserves to be protected. We enjoy such rapport at the
Island maternity because the leadership here is great,” he added.
Meanwhile, at Ifako general hospital, workers confided in
PREMIUM TIMES that they can no longer cope with the rationing of items, saying
their safety is also very important.
One of the health workers at the hospital, who spoke on
condition of anonymity, explained that even the pharmacists in the hospital who
were tasked by the government to locally produce sanitisers do not have raw
materials to do so.
The source said some health workers in the state have
concluded plans to quit their job if the situation degenerates.
At the general hospital in Gbagada, the leadership at the
emergency unit notified nurses on duty that only nurses assigned to welcome
patients into the unit are allowed to use the kits.
R-L: Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu;
Commissioner for Health, Prof Akin Abayomi; Secretary to the State Government,
Mrs. Folasade Jaji and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Dr. Olusegun
Ogboye, during a press briefing on the first case of Coronavirus in the State
at Lagos House, Marina, on Friday, February 28, 2020.
PREMIUM TIMES learnt that as a result of this, the hospital
has since cultivated the habit of releasing kits, “especially masks and
coverall to only one nurse allocated to triage patients at the emergency unit.”
NANNM writes state, threaten to down tools
Meanwhile, the Lagos State chapter of the nurses’
association has addressed a strongly worded letter to the state’s commissioner
for health, Akin Abayomi, urging his ministry to provide adequate facilities,
and particularly protective items, to the hospitals.
The letter, which was dated March 24, notified the
government of the precarious state of its members across major hospitals,
saying it would not fold its arms while members risk their lives in the course
of providing care.
The letter reads in part; “…Accordingly, I have the
directive of the state leadership to request the management of all institutions
and hospitals where nurses provide services to, as a matter of responsibility
and urgency make available adequate personal protective equipment including but
not limited to provision of running water with soap and sanitiser for hand
washing, and where necessary, effective arrangement for transportation for
nurses and other health workers who are equally at high risk.
“Consequently, we are constrained to add that, nurses, at
this juncture, have been directed not to risk their lives where personal
protective equipment are not available or provided by any hospital management
and advised to withdraw services until such are supplied to protect themselves.”
The association said as a body with the largest and
frontline professionals in the healthcare industry, it would continue to
support the government in addressing the health challenges confronting the
country, and the state in particular, but would not subject the members to
avoidable risks.
We’re working hard to make tools available
The Lagos State Government said it acknowledged the scarcity
of the PPEs but said efforts are in top gear to make them available in
abundance.
Speaking on behalf of government, the permanent secretary in
the state’s health ministry, Olusegun Ogboye, said its suppliers are struggling
to surmount the biting scarcity and skyrocketing prices of protective tools.
Mr Ogboye explained that the state has been busy mopping up
any available stores where the items could be purchased, but that many
marketers are still making things difficult in spite of the biting challenges
by hoarding the items.
He said; “In fact, we also realised that some are even
mopping our markets to export these items to other countries in need. This is
how unpatriotic some people could be.
“But I can assure you that as we receive these items we
distribute to hospitals and particularly the mainland hospitals where infected
patients are currently being attended to.”
Mr Ogboye added that the state is worried about the
skyrocketing increase in the price, saying infrared thermometers which sold for
N4,500 now sells for between N45,000 and N60,000.
He, however, assured the workers that the state values their
commitment and support at this critical time, adding that as caregivers, they
would not sacrifice their safety for anything.
“Without them being protected, there is no basis for any
care to be provided for anyone in the state. They are the first point of call,
and we realise that because all of us and in it together. We will like to
appeal to everyone to sincerely understand the peculiarity of the artificial
scarcity we currently suffer. All hands are on deck to overcome it as soon as
possible,” he added.
He said the pharmacy units through the pharmacists of every
hospital are being empowered to locally make sanitisers, adding that the N24
masks, which it regarded as the best for its workers, are quite scarce at the
moment.
https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/boxing/coronavirus-prince-charles-update-anthony-joshua-self-isolating-news-a9424521.html
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