Insist on protective equipment, NMA tells members The Nigerian Medical Association has urged doctors and nurses to insist on being given Personal Protective Equipment before treating the Ebola virus patients. The association, in a statement in Abuja on Thursday by its Secretary-General, Dr. Adewunmi Alayaki, said the government should not ignore the need for life insurance for all health workers. The NMA also named Prof. Michael Asuzu as the National Coordinator of its Ebola Control Committee. It noted that doctors, nurses and other frontline health care givers had been falling victims of the disease while on duty. The association, therefore, called on government at all levels to ensure that the necessary personal protective equipment is made available to doctors and other healthcare workers to reduce the casualties and mitigate risks. The NMA stated, “Government at all levels, chief medical directors/medical directors and proprietors of private hospitals are hereby reminded that this is not the time to subject doctors and nurses, and indeed other health workers, to unnecessary hazards. “The NMA, therefore, advises all doctors and nurses to insist on being well protected through the provision of appropriate Personal Protective Equipment before getting involved in the high risk components of the control processes.” According to the association, it will not be out of place for the government to institute a well packaged life insurance policy for all health workers, particularly all those involved in this battle against Ebola and other viral haemorrhagic diseases. It directed state chairmen of the NMA to set up Ebola control committees that would collaborate with the state ministries of health, international governmental and non-governmental organisations. The group stated, “The national body of the NMA has appointed the President of the Public Health Physicians of Nigeria, Prof. Michael Asuzu, as the National Coordinator of its Ebola Control Committee.” The NMA reiterated that lives of Nigerians were paramount to its members. It said, “It is in the same vein that we are directing our members (Nigerian doctors and dentists) to rise up to the ‘Ebola’ disaster and mobilise massively to contain and eradicate the devastating Ebola disease in our land under adequate protection with Personal Protective Equipment.” The NMA commended its members in Lagos State. It enjoined the government to ensure that those under quarantine did not leave Lagos to any other part of the country during their quarantine period. It directed all Nigerian doctors to get actively involved in this control battle and provide all the needed professional expertise to ensure the situation is brought under control as quickly as possible. The association stated, “All state branch officers committees are directed to immediately liaise with their respective commissioners for Health, Information, Housing and Urban development, Environment and Water Resources, Education, as well as the Directors of Medical Services and Directors of Public Health with a view to fashioning out effective strategies to prevent the spread of the Ebola Virus.” The NMA urged traditional rulers, religious leaders, Okada riders and road transport workers’ unions to ensure dissemination of necessary information on preventive and protective measures. The association lauded President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan for declaring the Ebola viral disease a national emergency. It said, “This Presidential declaration, which came on the heels of an earlier declaration of EVD as an International Public Health Emergency by the World Health Organisation Director-General, Dr. Margaret Chan, underscores the serious attention the Nigerian government and the global community attaches to the Ebola viral disease outbreak, and the need to bring the situation under perfect control.” According to the NMA, the Ebola pandemic calls for total involvement of all Nigerians and concerted efforts from all health experts and professionals, irrespective of class or place of abode. It commended the efforts of the Federal Ministry of Health and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control as well as other bodies. Meanwhile, the Nasarawa State Governor, Alhaji Tanko Al-Makura, has set up an Ebola Surveillance Committee. The committee will also work on Lassa fever and provide test kits to detect any outbreak of Ebola across the thirteen local governments of the state. The state Commissioner of Health, Dr. Emmanuel Akabe, disclosed this in an exclusive interview with The PUNCH in Lafia, the state capital. Copyright PUNCH.All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from PUNCH. Contact: editor@punchng ift.tt/1yxyeJu ift.tt/1ls1hrf [[Boost your social presence with NAIRALIKES nairalikes ]] #nigeria x #nairalikes #vanguardng
Posted on: Wed, 13 Aug 2014 23:15:43 +0000
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