COVID-19: Minister debunks report of 300 doctors infected, says 113 health workers infected
The Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire has dismissed reports that 300 doctors have been infected with the coronavirus, adding that the sector does not have such a number of infected persons.
Dr. Ehanire made the announcement during the Presidential Task Force briefing on Thursday.
According to him, “The report that over 300 doctors are infected is not true, there are not so many people in the health sector who are infected,” he said.
“The latest figures we have is that they are about 113 actually.”
The minister explained that not all infected health workers are from the public sector. Some are from private hospitals.
According to him, these health workers risk infecting themselves and their families.
Dr. Ehanire warned against treating infected patients without having adequate training and knowledge.
He, however, noted that the recovery rate in Nigeria is about 80 per cent or more.
He said the rapid speed of COVID-19 community transmission is a major concern for the PTF, but a bigger concern is the number of health workers who have now tested positive to the virus while in the line of duty.
He condemned the frequent rate at which COVID-19 patients are being treated in private hospitals without health workers taking the necessary precautions and training.