Covid-19: Second wave more catastrophic, we lost 20 doctors in one week – NMA

The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has warned that the second wave of coronavirus is more catastrophic, citing that no less than 20 doctors have lost their lives in a week.

This was disclosed by Dr. Enema Amodu, NMA Chairman in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), in a press briefing with reporters.

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Dr. Amodu called on the government to provide more facilities and urged patients with the disease to disclose the truth to doctors, or else risk exposing doctors to the virus.

• “For those of us in the health sector, we have lost quite a number of colleagues in the last one week alone. Across the country, we have lost not less than 20 doctors in the last one week. We also want to use this opportunity to talk to our patients; as you come to us in the hospitals, in the clinics, please oblige us. Wear your mask. Tell us the truth about your past medical condition and don’t hold any information back. We are personnel skilled and trained to handle emergency medical conditions, and are ready for anything that comes.”

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He said Nigerian healthcare workers would need more facilities to deal with the virus as the second wave is proving to be catastrophic to the sector.

• “We need things to work with, we need ICUs, we need drugs, we need face masks, we need PPEs, we need hand sanitizers. This second wave is so overwhelming, more catastrophic, and this probably will be because a lot of people have gone back to the ways of doing things, have thought the virus is over, it has come and it has gone and let their guards down.”

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What you should know 

• Nairametrics reported on December 17, 2020, that Nigeria had entered the second wave of the pandemic after recording 930 Covid-19 cases in a single day.
• The Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire,  stated that Nigeria was ready for its Covid-19 vaccination strategy, revealing that the FG planned to acquire vaccines valued at N400 billion.

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