Lagos NMA complains about inadequate protective gear
The Lagos state chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has raised concerns about the inadequate supply of protective materials, including face masks, sanitizers and personal protective equipment in most government hospitals in the state.
State Chairman and Secretary of the association, Dr. Saliu Oseni and Dr. Ramon Moronkola, respectively raised the alarm in a communique jointly signed on Thursday in Lagos.
The NMA leaders said that the safety of doctors and other health workers is paramount, thus the state government should intensify efforts in the procurement and distribution of personal protective equipment for all state hospitals.
“Doctors in Lagos state share the view that in public health emergencies, doctors and other health workers are the first line of defence and the last line of retreat.
“As such, we are fully ready to cooperate and work with the state government in any and all capacities to contain this pandemic within the state and the country at large,” they said.
According to the state NMA, there is the urgent need for the expansion of welfare packages for doctors and other health workers who are at the centre of the fight against the pandemic.
“These should normally include life insurance and temporary accommodation for high-risk workers to prevent risks to their families,” they asserted.
The association observed further that there is the inadequate training of back-up health personnel on the management of isolation units in case the current trained staff at the Lagos Mainland Hospital or elsewhere become overwhelmed.
“There is the urgent need to commence massive training of back-up health personnel and volunteers on current management of isolation and treatment centres in preparation for a surge in cases,” the NMA added.
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They said that reports from the NMA Lagos COVID-19 response monitoring crew shows that “there are sundry preparedness gaps in many of the public hospitals in the state.
“The current response system has neglected the burgeoning private hospital system within the state in the response coordination, thereby leaving a large section of healthcare delivery system in the state out of the containment loop.
“While we appreciate the need for volunteers, the NMA in Lagos expresses reservations for the use of retired personnel as frontline personnel, because of the vulnerability of their age group.”
The NMA officials called for the immediate establishment of temporary isolation units within all public hospitals in Lagos to track high-risk patients, while confirmation is being awaited, as part of the uniform standard response protocol for all public hospitals within the state.
They also called for the immediate establishment of additional state isolation and treatment centres for confirmed cases in addition to the existing one at the Lagos Mainland Hospital, Yaba.
