Health workers at the Alex Ekwueme Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki have stopped treating patients with eye problems for fear of contracting the Covid-19 disease.

Mr Calistus Okoronkwo, the Director of Administration at the Alex Ekwueme Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki says the health institution has suspended operations at the eye clinic to avoid likelihood of infection of Covid-19.

He explained that medical personnel in the eye clinic and few other departments in the hospital where medical examinations could not be performed without close contacts with patients, were the only departments exempted from receiving new patients.

“The hospital still receives and treats patients on a daily basis and our doctors, nurses and other paramedics are offering full medical services to patients.

“The only department not in full operation is the eye department; the reason is that there must be close contact during medical examinations.

“And since there must be social distancing of at least one metre, the personnel are not in full operation.

Okoronkwo said in Abakaliki on Monday that the hospital was committed to providing quality medical services to the people.

The official said that authorities of the institution are strict in ensuring that medical and non-medical personnel are adhering to safety precautions and guidelines released by government.

“All personnel in the hospital are provided with the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), which they must put on while discharging their duties,” Okoronkwo said.

Meanwhile, NAN reports that at the General Out-Patient Department (GOPD) of the hospital, many patients were seen being attended to by nurses, who checked their ‘vital signs’ before seeing medical doctors.

Similarly, patients at the gynecology and children departments were also being attended to by medical personnel.

A doctor, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that there was no lockdown at the hospital, hence doctors, nurses and other paramedics were discharging their official duties everyday.

“What the management did was that it had scaled down the number of patients, who were to be attended to everyday.

“The  idea is to reduce congestion and maintain social distancing,” the source said.NAN