Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has raised alarm over the increase in hospital transmission of Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) through medical staff.
Dr. Sokomba Aliyu, NARD President made the disclosure during an appearance on Channels TV on Monday, April 20. He said lack of adequate protective gear has caused medical staff to infect patients with the airborne virus.
Dr. Aliyu who confirmed cases of this model of transmission called on the government to provide protective gear to Medical staff on the frontline of the battle against COVID-19 Pandemic.
He said:
”Beyond the disease spreading in communities, we are beginning to have a situation where this disease is now going to be spreading in the hospitals.
“We are going to be having hospital transmission of this disease which is going to be a very serious condition because unlike what is obtainable in communities where one person can spread it to two to three people, if we are having hospital transmission of this disease, we would have a situation where one health worker, a nurse or a doctor, will be spreading this disease to as much as 50 to 100 other patients who probably have come to the hospital to seek care for there regular ailment and this is already happening in our system in Nigeria.
“The reason why we are having the hospital to hospital transmission of this disease is because we have been clamouring that these health care workers have not been adequately protected We are saying protect these health workers for the sake of the innocent healthcare patients that would be coming to the hospital for their regular health needs. ”
NARD President further said patients suffering from other ailments stand the risk of contracting the virus if they come in contact with medical personnel treating COVID-19 Patients.
“This is what it should be because all patients across Nigeria are potential COVID19 patients because it is established at this point that we already have community transmission of this disease. Patients can come in for their regular ailment without knowing they are having COVID19. This is already evident in the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, in Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, in Irrua Specialist Hospital, in UCH.
“Let me give you an example. In the University College Hospital Ibadan, just yesterday, the President of the Association of Resident Doctors informed us that he had tested positive to COVID19 and this he had gotten simply by interacting with his regular patients. What is worse is that he has not demonstrated any symptoms. He just felt like being tested. He got tested.
“This is underscoring the fact that we need to aggressively test all healthcare workers because as they continue to come in contact with patients who appear well and coming to the hospital to seek care for other disease they are also coming in contact with patients that are potential COVID19 patients.
“So there is a need for Personal Protective Equipment to be made available in all hospitals for all healthcare workers because nothing stops any patient from coming to the hospital for regular medical care from being positive to COVID19. And the more these healthcare workers are exposed, they more we are heading for doom.”