Nigeria Should Learn From Ghana, Do Not Ease Lockdown – NMA

The Nigerian Medical Association has come out to warn against easing the lockdown by President Muhammadu Buhari tomorrow.

The association recently revealed that the move is still very premature in the face of rising infection.

According to the President of the NMA, Dr. Francis Faduyile and the Secretary, Dr. Olumuyiwa Odusote, Nigeria must learn from Ghana after their ease of the lockdown resulted in a 100 percent increase in infection rate in a week.

He added that Nigerian leaders should stop distracting doctors and health workers amid the pandemic and should instead encourage them via the provision of Personal Protective Equipment.

His words, “We appreciate State and non-State operators on their efforts so far, but urge them to do more.”

“In particular, we view the directive by the Bauchi State Governor for the use of a specific drug in the treatment of positive cases as improper and unethical.

“Medical doctors have the prerogative to use whatever treatment regimen they consider best based on evidence and presentation of the patients.

“We, therefore, implore our leaders to desist from distracting our time tested doctors and health workers. Instead, they should encourage them through the provision of Personal Protective Equipment

“We wish that the “Panel of Experts” recently inaugurated by the Federal Ministry of Health is empowered to immediately commence their work of thinking, analyzing, synthesizing, collating, and disseminating the most relevant medical information that informs the best management of our COVID-19 patients. Science and knowledge must inform policies and politics.

“We appreciate the FMOH for finally listening to the plea we made several weeks ago. We wish the nation and our people the safety and protection from COVID-19 while praying the authorities to continue to carry out all necessary and more invigorated knowledge-based interventions towards a zero COVID-19 Nigeria.”