Healthcare workers are increasingly becoming exposed to the coronavirus in Nigeria.
Doctor Emeka Chugbo was the first known casualty, losing to the virus after being exposed to a patient at his private clinic.
The late Chugbo was taken to Lagos University Teaching Hospital on Monday with “severe symptoms” and died last Wednesday, according to the hospital.
His demise has somewhat ushered a difficult phase for the medical personnel on the frontline.
A couple of days after Chugbo, Dominic Essien, another medical doctor in Akwa Ibom State, died after reportedly exhibiting COVID-19-related symptoms.
Then a medic with international medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres (name withheld) followed, beaten by the virus on Monday in Borno State.
As each day passes, the risks of contracting the virus increases just as the number of cases climb.
Two World Health Organisation employee are the latest to fall prey, testing positive barely 24 hours apart in Bauchi.
The first case was revealed to be a returnee who had close contact with a positive patient in Kano State.
The second was confirmed on Tuesday by the state government.
Governor Bala Mohammed revealed this to reporters after an ‘extraordinary’ stakeholders meeting on the COVID-19 pandemic.
This brings the number of confirmed cases in the state to eight.
“After a thorough discussion with all stakeholders of Bauchi, we have thoroughly discussed the problems and challenges on the prevalence of the COVID-19 in Bauchi,” Mohammed said.
“We have also taken cognizance of the fact that Ramadan is approaching, and the majority of the people have always considered this moment as period of worship.
“And looking at all the decisions taken by the Jamaatul Nasirul Islam, and opinions expressed by our Emirs, our Ulamas, we came to the conclusion that the Committee on COVID-19 in Bauchi will sit down with a cross-section of Ulama and clergymen to come out with clear guidelines on a partial lockdown on Bauchi State.”
The governor said the state was placed on partial lockdown because of the increase in cases in some neighbouring states.
“This is being considered because we have a resurgence with what is happening in Kano, our neighbours and even here in Bauchi,” he said.
“Even as we are meeting, I understand that there is another case that has been mentioned that has been found to be positive among the WHO staff – and now we have three active cases.”
In the US alone more than 10,000 healthcare workers have tested positive for the coronavirus with half of the figure reported in the United Kingdom.
However, unlike these nations, Nigeria’s insurance and welfare packages are almost non-existent.
On Tuesday, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State rebuffed reports that health workers earn N5,000 as hazard allowance, stating that they take home around 400 per cent more.
While this is a wisecrack when compared to foreign countries, it is just about the best in the country.
There was a report of a state government that offers as little as N1,000 as incentive to health workers beside the poor equipments they are forced to work with.
Still early days in Nigeria, though, with less than 700 cases begging the question, what then happens when the nation peaks? Will these persons on the frontline ever get better welfare package?
