The Lagos State chapter of the
Nigerian Medical Association and
the National Association of
Nigerian Nurses and Midwives have
accused the Federal Government of
not being proactive enough in the
fight against the Ebola Virus
Disease.
The doctors and nurses said at
separate news conferences in
Lagos on Sunday, that the
government had yet to put in place
adequate measures to protect
health workers willing to manage
those infected by the deadly virus.
The state NMA, through its
chairman, Dr. Tope Ojo, therefore
challenged the federal and Lagos
state governments to provide
protective kits and address the
issue of hazard allowance for
doctors, nurses and other health
workers ready to be involved in
treating infected persons.
It also faulted the life insurance
cover announced by both the
federal and state governments,
saying its provisions had yet to be
spelt out.
The NMA said, ‘‘Any health worker
that is managing an Ebola patient
is risking his/her life and that of
his family. Ebola has killed over 61
doctors in Guinea, Liberia and
Sierra Leone. It is a serious issue.
“You don’t just dangle life
insurance without documents. We
cannot endanger our lives unless
we know what is at stake.We
should be assured that should
anything happen to us, our
families are catered for.
“The terms of the insurance must
be in public domain in a
transparent manner.
“It is sad that it had to take an
Ebola outbreak, for government to
realise that health workers need
life insurance cover.”
Also at the news conference, the
association’s Secretary, Dr.
Babajide Saheed, said it was
imperative for both governments to
put in place adequate infection
control measures to effectively
check the spread of the EVD.
Saheed said,” Please you
journalists should visit the IDH
(Infectious Diseases Hospital in
Yaba and find out what the
Federal Government has put in
place for effective infection control.
“Please compare it to what health
workers in Guinea and Liberia had
while treating Ebola patients.
“Till now, the Federal and state
governments have not come out
with a concrete position on the life
insurance cover they have offered
to us and the public.
“By protecting health workers that
are managing suspected or
confirmed cases of Ebola, you are
protecting the public from
infections, because doctors are
part of the society.”
The Lagos NMA also used the
opportunity to declare that the
nationwide strike by doctors had
not been called off.
Also, nurses, at their own news
conference, said it was regrettable
that the Federal Government had
not learnt to act fast during
emergency situations like the
Ebola virus outbreak.
They also berated the Federal
Ministry of Health for negotiating
with the NMA to end its strike,
saying that the association (NMA)
was not a trade union but a
professional body which had no
right to boycott work.
Their President, Mr. Abdrufai
Adeniji, said, “It is appalling that
Nigeria is still at the stage of
making arrangements when the
virus has already been granted
certificate of occupancy and has
taken full residence in the country.
“Government should learn to copy
true international best practice
which its agents are quick to shout
when they are on their mission of
deceit.
“Serious governments have already
put in place precautionary
measures to prevent the pandemic
on their soil and some even have
treatments even though such are
still in the clinical trial stage.
“Government needs to understand
that its business should be doing
more than it says and taking
actions that surpass mere
arrangements.”
He commiserated with the family
of the nurse who lost her life after
contracting the disease while
treating Patrick Sawyer, the
Liberian man who brought the
disease into the country.
Adeniji urged nurses to exercise
extreme caution while treating
Ebola patients as they stood a
higher risk of contracting the
disease than doctors.
He said, “We hereby call on nurses
to remain committed to their
calling and be cautious of the
precautionary measures to forestall
further incidences. The government
at all levels should do their part to
provide adequate equipment
infrastructure, protective wears,
policies to take care of the victims
of the virus and other deadly
issues.
“The government should
immediately set up an intervention
team to attend to the situation.”
Catholic church suspends sign of
peace
Also, the Catholic Church has
instructed its priests to henceforth
suspend all forms of physical
contacts during service, including
the traditional sign of peace, which
involves shaking of hands with
other worshippers during service.
This directive was contained in a
statement by the Catholic
Archbishop of the Metropolitan See
of Lagos, Adewale Martins, titled
“The Outbreak of Ebola Virus – a
pastoral approach.
“Taking into consideration the fact
that this rite is optional, we shall
henceforth omit it i.e. not invite
people to offer the sign of peace.
When you get to this rite, skip it,”
Martins said in the statement.
Apart from calling for the
discontinuation of placing of water
bowls at the entrances of parishes
of the church, the Archbishop
encouraged the use of gloves when
counting offerings as other means
of stemming EVD’s spread.
The statement read in part, “The
use of Holy Water Fonts at the
entrance of the church should be
discontinued forthwith until the
virus alert is lifted. This does not
preclude private use of Holy waters
in homes and offices.”
“Priest are also advised to be
cautious when visiting sick
members, especially when they are
to administer the sacrament of
anointing for the sick. They are
equally advised to avoid physical
contacts when giving out the Holy
communion to members.
“Priests should exercise caution
when they go for sick calls,
particularly when they have to
administer the sacrament of the
anointing of the sick. They should
ensure regular handwashing after
visiting patients in the hospital or
homes.”
In Abuja, the Catholic Archbishop
of Abuja Metropolitan, John
Cardinal Onaiyekan, also called on
members of the church to refrain
from shaking hands during the
sign of peace session.
Onaiyekan, in an interview with
journalists on Sunday, explained
that the church was taking
necessary precautionary steps to
avoid the spread of the disease.
Onaiyekan however clarified that
the warning does not mean that
the church had banned shaking of
hands during mass.
He said, “We did not ban
handshaking during mass. We are
only discouraging it and it is going
to be temporary until it is clear
that Nigeria is no longer under
Ebola threat.
“It’s a possible means to avoid
the spread of Ebola virus and also
prayers to keep the country safe.
Many people are not comfortable
with shaking people they don’t
know during this period of Ebola,
so there is need to take such
steps.”
