COVID-19: Nigeria Warns Medical Facilities Not To Reject Patients, Especially Emergency Cases

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, News Monday, May 4th, 2020

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – The Federal Government of Nigeria has advised medical facilities in the country to stop rejecting patients, especially emergency cases, noting that it is unethical not to attend to persons in distress.

Dr Osagie Ehanire, Minister of Health, said this on Monday in Abuja, at the Presidential Taskforce (PTF) briefing on COVID-19 in the country.

The minister said the ministry was strengthening its support for Kano State Ministry of Health with service delivery and training in consultation with the state governor.

“The setbacks reported in routine hospital service delivery in Kano state are being addressed by line experts from the ministry, whether from the National Primary, Health Care Development Agency, or the Department of Family Health.

“A Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH) pathologist is also participating in the investigation of the unexplained deaths in Kano.

“The team shall be reinforced according to needs expressed by the state government to strengthen its healthcare structure,” he said.

He disclosed that the ministry had also mobilised additional 20 Rapid Response Teams (RRT) across Kano state to reach people who need to be tested for the virus.

”41 Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) staff and 17 World Health Organisation (WHO) staff are deployed at the moment to support the Kano response.

“With support of partners, 2 facilities are funded per Kano LGA; and will be setting up one sample collection centre per LGA,” he said.

In his speech, Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu, Director General of NCDC, disclosed that a new testing facility was opened in Kano on Sunday, in collaboration between Dangote Foundation, Weare54gene and NCDC.

Ihekweazu said that the turn-key project, entire conceptualisation and delivery happened in seven days.

The DG said the agency targeted the capacity of 400 tests per day, by next week.