South East breaking News
•By Steve Unegbu
The Nigerian Medical Association and the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives have called on the federal government to as a matter of importance and necessity ,provide testing centres for Coronavirus (Covid-19) in the SouthEast geopolitical zone of Nigeria, pointing out that testing centres would facilitate easy diagnosis and care of patients.
Addressing Newsmen during a press conference held at General hospital Aba to commemorate the Tuberculosis Day celebration, the Chairman Nigerian Medical Association Abia state chapter ,Dr Mrs Carol Iwuoha ,said it is imperative for federal government to set up testing centres in all the geopolitical zones of the country to ease diagnosis and treatment of Coronavirus .
In her words ,” There is no testing centres for Covid -19 in the whole of the SouthEast presently. We want to use this opportunity to call on Federal government to provide testing centres across the geopolitical zones in the country, because it will help to speed the diagnosis and also the care of the patient “
NMA Boss said that the Health workers in Abia state ,decided to use the 2020 World tuberculosis Day to update the society as professional associations on how to prevent the present Coronavirus pandemic which started in Wuhan China in December 2019 and spread to other countries including Nigeria.
She ,pointed out that disease Covid -19 is spreading mainly with people in close contact with one another ,when an infected person coughs or sneezes .
According to her ,” We are aware that concerted efforts are being made across the Nation to address it “
She further noted that the focus of the press briefing is to create awareness among the populace to let them know that there are proactive measures that can be taken to address this problem.
She said, that NMA advocates for the general hand washing with disinfectants and detergents, saying regular washing of hands with soap and water go along way to prevent spreading from person to person, regular use of hand sanitizer and covering of coughs and sneezes.
She said that as health professionals ,they are enlightening the public to let them know that the disease exist ,however it can be prevented.
She urged those who traveled from the affected countries to be quarantined for 14 days to watch and see if symptoms will appear .
In her speech ,the Vice Chairman ,National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives,Abia state ,Dr Lady Stella Okore , disclosed that the health sector in the state is highly worried about the Cov-19 pandemic,adding that they are interested to know and work out the solution to the problem.
Dr Okore decried the non payment of health workers’ salaries in the State, disclosing that the health sector is at risk as a result of the Covid -19 pandemic, hence “we are asking those in authority to consider it as very necessary to protect the health workers as well as pay them their salaries to enable them work effectively”
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