Gbadamosi Oladimeji
The Minister of State for Health, Dr. Olorunnimbe Mamora has warned medical personnel across the country that the federal government would not hesitate to bring to book malefactors directing patients who are not Covid-19 patients to bring Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) before they are treated.
The Minister disclosed this while responding to questions from media representatives at the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 Press briefing held in Abuja.
Mamora said if there is any truth in the claims that some health care facilities are demanding that patients should bring PPE before they can be treated, government would “pursue remedial measures for the patient.”
The health minister of state, therefore, appealed to Nigerians to furnish the Presidential Task Force and Federal Ministry of Health with relevant information that would enable government to identify and deal with the exact culprits.
“If it is taking place in our Federal Government Hospitals or in our Tertiary Hospitals or States Hospitals, wherever, we will take appropriate action”, Dr. Mamora emphatically declared.
While speaking on the Medical Fact Finding Team dispatched to Kano State at height of the unexplained deaths in the State, Dr. Mamora stated that the Federal Ministry of Health has received an interim report, adding that It was to enable health sector know the level of engagement with Kano State Government and the State’s COVID-19 Response Team.
Mamora stressed that the interim report got on Kano response team, will help the Federal Ministry of Health and the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 to determine the level of engagement that should be in place with non-State actors such as faith based organisations and Civil Society Organisations in the present and post-COVID-19 days.
Speaking on what has been done with the interim report on Kano, Dr. Mamora disclosed that:
“We have assembled enough resources – human health resources and others to help Kano. Laboratories which were hitherto shut down have been reopened. Even what you called verbal autopsy has been carried out, we have begun to strengthen all facilities on ground – testing kits, plans and equipment for isolation centres, PPE, ambulances, have been dispatched to Kano.”
