By Mike Adeyemi
As the world grapple with the novel COVID-19 pandemic, no fewer than 42 health workers at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH) have been infected with the novel virus, National Pilot has learnt.
Out of the number, 12 are resident doctors and 30 nurses who contracted the Coronavirus in the line of duty, it was gathered.
During a chat with our reporter at the weekend in his office, the President of Association of Resident Doctors, Dr. Lanre Olosunde expressed happiness that there has not been any casualty among the health workers.
He said, “About 12 of our members have tested positive to COVID-19 -in the line of duty.’
“I must say that we don’t have a smooth ride. Twelve of our members are currently positive in the course of duty. Most of them have had moderate symptoms. I don’t think there is any of them that has severed cases, we are happy with that.
“At the same time, we believe that prevention is better than cure. We as an association took some proactive measures even when we got to know that the disease is in China, knowing that it will come here.
“We actually sensitized our members and that went a long way to help them prepare for the scourge.
“We have had course to write to the DG of Nigeria Centre for Disease and Control (NCDC) and the Federal Government via our national body to help us and we got donations of Personal Protective Equipment from them. We also approached private companies in Kwara and they responded well too.
“Presently, I will say we have had a fairly moderate supply of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), though not sufficient. But as at now our members have enough of PPE, “he added.
He further said that the Federal Government has paid the controversial hazard allowances to members, but urge the Government to implement the Residency Training Act for doctors.
“The issue of hazard allowance is a chronic problem, it has been on the table for long. You can imagine as doctors with lots of risk faced, the hazard allowance was N5,000 per month. There are even other staff that are not exposed to COVID-19 that are getting more allowance than the doctors.
“The Federal Government has agreed to pay us what they called special COVID-19 allowance. The Federal Government which is 50% of our basic salary. While we appreciate the Government for doing this, we want to ask them to do more by prioritising the heath care system this time, “he stressed.
Olosundare however said the end to search for the COVID-19 vaccine is imminent as over 100 vaccine trials are ongoing across the globe.
“Yes we will survive this. There was a time small pox was killing people, we survived it. There was a time we had HIV, we had Ebola too, we survived it. But how did we survive it? We survived it through ingenuity, we survived it through innovation and through advancement in technology.
“Currently we have over 100 vaccine trials that are going on and I know that we won’t be unlucky not to have one that will work. I know in the nearest future we are going to get the vaccine. But having the vaccine may not be the solution completely giving the rate of spreads of the virus globally.
“I think what is more important is to appeal to the citizens of our country to strictly abide by the rules laid down to curtail the spread of COVID-19.”
Similarly, the Chairman of Joint Health Sector Union (JOHESU), University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, Comrade Olatunde Oluwawumi has said that about 30 nurses of the hospital have been infected by corona virus and has since been moved to the isolation centre at Sobi hospital.
“There have been cases of many of staff infected by covid-19, but we have not lost any staff. More than 30 nurses have been infected and transferred to the isolation centre and they have recovered,” he said.
Olatunde however lauded the management of the hospital for providing enough Personal Protective Equipment for the staff of the institution.
“The management of this institution provided PPE at least the basic for the staff to work. At the same time, we had to cut down the number of staff on duty. The virus has reduced the number of patients coming to the hospital. We had to draw a roaster to reduce the population of staff that will be on duty. We all know that COVID-19 is real “, he maintained.
