Posted on: Thu 09-07-2020

FEAR gripped the people of Ondo State following the alleged forceful discharge of patients at the Infectious Disease Hospital, IDH, in Akure, over the strike action of the doctors at the facility. It was gathered that following the strike action, all patients at the center were asked to vacate the hospital and were forcefully discharged. However, an official of the center stated that no patient has been discharged adding that only asymptomatic patients were discharged. Speaking in confidence, he said: “If you do not exhibit symptoms, they only give drugs and advice you to self-isolate at home. “The state government has been trying but the number of patients keeps increasing daily. We had about 76 cases on Tuesday, if they continue to admit those without the symptoms, the facility will be overwhelmed.” 

We’re not happy down tooling — Doctors 

But the National Association of Government General Medical and Dental Practitioners, NAGGMDP, yesterday, vowed not to return to work until the government meets their demands.

The Secretary of NAGGMDP in Ondo State, Dr. Olasakinju Tunde, said: “We had through the congress requested that our members who are the COVID-19 specialists in the Infectious Disease Hospital Akure  continue to work till Thursday morning, 2nd July 2020 in the interest of the general public and particularly confirmation of the COVID-19 status of Mr. Governor. “It is, however, imperative that our members be withdrawn immediately due to lack of the human face expected from the government. We are pained to have been made to do as such.” 

It’s a slight change in protocol — Health Commissioner 

Denying the shutting down of the isolation centre as a result of the strike, the Special Adviser and acting Commissioner of Health, Dr. Jibayo Adeyeye said: “The only changes are the protocol of managing infected COVID-19 patients at the center.” “We wish to state that our isolation centers are open fully. What has however changed is the protocol of managing patients with COVID-19. “Before now, the protocol was to isolate every patient infected with COVID -19 in the isolation center but now our new protocol is to admit for treatment only positive patients with symptoms at the centers. “Other positive cases that are asymptomatic are to self-isolate under supervision in their suitable homes according to the standard and global practice”, Adeyeye said. 

COVID-19 patient gives birth in Ogun 

Meanwhile, a 28-year-old COVID-19 patient has successfully put to bed at the State Hospital, Ijaye in Abeokuta. The Ogun State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Tomi Coker, disclosed this in a congratulatory message to the health workers who took delivery of the patient’s baby at the hospital premises. Coker explained that a dedicated team of doctors, midwives and other health workers took the safe delivery of the mother, who was asymptomatic, in the early hours of Tuesday without putting their health and others at risk. 

The commissioner said: “Yesterday, we were at the State Hospital to celebrate our doctors, midwives and others for taking delivery of a baby girl by an asymptomatic COVID-19 mother for this great feat. “It is very easy to criticize, but when some people do brave things such as these, all we need to do is to always appreciate them so they can be motivated to do much more whenever the need arises,” Coker said.

Source: Vanguard 

---

---