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COVID-19: NMA, Resident doctors reject invitation of Chinese doctors

…Warns FG to learn from Italy case, advocate for state of emergency in health sector

Ranmilowo Ojalumo

The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) and the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) have condemned the idea of bringing the Chinese doctor into Nigeria to help the country fight the current spreading deadly Pandemic, Coronavirus.

A statement issued recently NMA said the association was disappointed to receive the news of the intention of the Federal Government to invite Chinese doctors into the country at this time of a global pandemic.

NMA said the move is embarrassing to the membership of the Association and other health workers who are giving their best in the fight against Covid-19 pandemic under deplorable working conditions, and a fragile health system to be subjected to the ignominy of not being carried along in arriving at such a decision.

Rather than bringing Chinese doctor into the country, NMA said lack of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), grossly inadequate test kits and test centres across the country, and the absolute lack of any form of insurance for the workforce are primordial issues begging for attention at this time.

The association warned the Nigeria government to learn from the Italian case where the arrival of the Chinese doctor into the country compounded the Coronavirus case in the country.

 “We are therefore profoundly dismayed to learn that the Federal Government is instead inviting the Chinese who from available accounts are not out of the woods themselves.  The spike in cases and the death toll from COVID -19 in Italy coincided with the arrival of the Chinese in the guise of offering assistance. Even the United Nations has only just recently commended the efforts of Nigeria so far.

“ The Association notes with grave concern that the Government did not take into consideration the extant laws regulating the practice of medicine in Nigeria as enshrined in the Medical and Dental Council Act. This is one such circumstance where the Medical and Dental Council of Nigerian should be consulted to grant necessary approvals to foreigners to interact with Nigerian patients.

“The Association appreciates the commendable work done by doctors and health workers at the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and the various isolation centres across the country. It expects the Government to show appreciation by channelling the available resources and donations to improving testing facilities to detect more cases and ramp up capacity to train more workers”, the association in the statement.

Rather than bringing foreigner doctors who aside from national security concerns may not be conversant with the Nigeria culture, terrain and peculiar challenges, the Association said there are large pool of General Medical and Specialist Practitioners who are either unemployed or underemployed that can be engaged to increase the number of medical practitioners in the country.

the Association said the invitation is ill-timed and of no overbearing significance, stressing that whatever experiences the Chinese have can be shared by digital technology through conferencing, bearing in mind that Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu has only just returned from China.

We are not averse to the donation of equipment and supplies because we can always do with such support as even the developed countries receive support.

Rejecting the invitation of the Chinese doctors, the NMA urge the Federal Government to review and approve better welfare incentives to the frontline medical personnel. The association said the first excellent step to be taken is for the government to provide adequate personal protective equipment, opening and properly equipping more isolation centres and health facilities across the country.. Deploying more resources to facilitate testing as we are beginning to witness community transmission of COVID 19 is equally a better application of scarce resources.

 “The Government should declare a state of emergency in the Health sector and use the opportunity to fix our health institutions as a matter of urgency in a bid to stem the rot.

“The NMA urges the Government to expand the Presidential Task Force to include other critical stakeholders including journalists and the civil society to ensure more robust engagement especially as the decisions of the task force has implications for the health, wealth and security of our country.

“It is a great disservice to the morale of the long-suffering frontline health workforce if the Government goes ahead to invite these Chinese doctors. The invitation demeans their sacrifices so far in this pandemic. We fail to see how the 18 man team would impact the current efforts in any significant way.

“The Association, however, expects that the Government would rescind the decision in the overall interest of the country.

“The NMA would loathe reviewing her participation in the fight against COVID-19 considering the grave implications and the risk to the lives of her members should the Government go ahead with this ill-thought-out invitation at this time.

“The Association remains committed to the Nigerian people and the Government. We support the efforts of our frontline health workers in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, and we expect reciprocal trust from the Government.

Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) Condemns Importation Of Chinese Doctors

While examining the intent and purpose of the importation of 18-man Chinese team of medical experts including doctors, nurses and those with sundry expertise to assist Nigeria in the fight against COVID-19 doctors under the  aegis of Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) said it was indeed puzzled that the Federal Government through the Federal Ministry of Health would be contemplating such an adventure without firstly discussing it with the key and relevant stakeholders like the Nigerian Medical Association; our parent body; and all her relevant affiliates that parade some of the world’s best hands in all fields of endeavor.

In a statement issued recently and signed by its president Sokomba Aliyu, the association said it find it rather curious that the Nigeria Government would contemplate to throw open her international borders to Chinese nationals having watched how similar action in Italy proved socio-economically suicidal. 

Part of the statement reads: “the Federal Government cannot be championing illegality. All doctors coming into Nigeria are supposed to be licensed by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria.  Am sure these ones are not. Nigeria is about one fifth of the population of the African continent and currently the world has watched with awe, the very slow rate of case fatality arising from COVID 19 in Africa and is yet to understand, explain, covet or undermine that possible genetic advantage.

“The crafty Chinese scientists should the last group of friends to trust at this time given how unreliably and covertly they have managed the information around the pandemic beginning from the data around its origin, characteristics, and other virulence features to help the nations yet to experience the surge to be better prepared. We should not lose sight of the fact that conspiracy theories have it that COVID 19 is a possible tool for both sociopolitical and economic manipulation and domination. Nigeria is too important in the African continent to act any carelessly in the face of this emerging but portent threat to human existence. 

“The attempt to import Human resources for Health from China into Nigeria where many qualified medical doctors and other cadres of health workers are yet to be gainfully employed is the height of insensitivity and disservice on the part of the Federal Government and their advisers.  The challenge at hand would have been sufficient marker to agitate the FG to the direction and timing for massive employment of medical and other health care workers to provide enough hands in the industry to battle the COVID 19 as other nations are doing.

“If the FG had completely employed the available qualified doctors and other healthcare workers before turning to China for medical manpower to fill any persisting gap; it would have being less suspicious. The Nigerian medical experts are currently winning the COVID 19 battle and should be encouraged and motivated and supported to win the war instead of distracting them with this unfortunate plan.

“The news making rounds in some quarters have it that the Chinese experts are only coming to Nigeria to play only some advisory roles and not to directly intervene in the day to day handling of Nigerian patients do not appear believable because telemedicine should have been more cost-effective, faster and easier to harness over a large number of uses than to fly them into Nigeria and move them from place to place at a huge cost to our national budget.The statement reads.

Presenting her position the Federal Government, NARD urges the federal government to stop the implementation of the Plan and immediately engage all key relevant Nigerian medical experts including NARD and present the full intents and purpose of the planned importation of Chinese experts for full evaluation, cost-benefit analysis and consensus on the best option.

The association added that it will not contemplate further warning to distance herself from the Chinese adventure by way of withdrawing all her members from every public health facility in Nigeria so that the anticipated downturn in the output of Nigeria’s healthcare service delivery can be properly situated and traceable to the Chinese as is the case today in Italy.

“NARD hereby reiterates her position which was canvassed earlier in the week for the FG to immediately and massively employ all qualified but unemployed doctors and other healthcare workers. Get them trained, insured, motivated and deployed nationwide. 

“NARD wonders if the Chinese medical experts would accept FIVE THOUSAND NAIRA monthly hazard allowance if they were to be engaged on such terms. Nigerian doctors and other healthcare workers have been on such depressing and unpatriotic hazard allowance and yet saving millions of Nigerians for years. Why did the FG not bring Chinese experts on same conditions of service. FG needs to immediately review the hazard allowance and make it a percentage of the basic salary of all healthcare workers as many nations are steadily incentivizing the pay for their health workers.

“NARD is of the view that all our hospitals should be properly equipped with state of the art equipment and devices and all necessary personal protective equipment made available to all healthcare workers instead of demoralizing them with the news of plans to import Chinese experts, the association said..

editor

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One Comment

  1. May be the government are fulfilling their own ball part of the hidden secret behind Covid-19, as the Italians are tricked and obviously presently, we can all feel what is happening in America. Something is fishy to me and also scripture had it that we should be careful of been offended, (there will be repercussions for any offence) as it shall bring betrayals and hatred. Those in power (place of authority) should know that there is no way out for them too, if they fail their people. It’s a shame.

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