Nigeria has
screened 19,512 individuals with 2,948 confirmed cases and 98 deaths around the
country as of Tuesday night.
screened 19,512 individuals with 2,948 confirmed cases and 98 deaths around the
country as of Tuesday night.
The
association of doctors in Kogi State expressed concern about Kogi State’s
reluctance to check suspected coronavirus cases.
association of doctors in Kogi State expressed concern about Kogi State’s
reluctance to check suspected coronavirus cases.
Kogi is one of
the two states yet to confirm any case of the virus since the country recorded
its index case in February. The other state is Cross River.
the two states yet to confirm any case of the virus since the country recorded
its index case in February. The other state is Cross River.
In Kogi, the
government of the state is intentionally discouraging COVID-19 tests and has
alleged that there is a conspiracy by unidentified persons to ensure that Kogi
records cases of the virus This attitude of the government of Kogi has irked
the association of doctors in Kogi who warn that it could be risky.
government of the state is intentionally discouraging COVID-19 tests and has
alleged that there is a conspiracy by unidentified persons to ensure that Kogi
records cases of the virus This attitude of the government of Kogi has irked
the association of doctors in Kogi who warn that it could be risky.
The Chairman,
Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Kogi chapter, Kabir Zubair, in an interview
expressed fears that the consequences of not testing people for the COVID-19
may be too enormous to deal with.
Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Kogi chapter, Kabir Zubair, in an interview
expressed fears that the consequences of not testing people for the COVID-19
may be too enormous to deal with.
“If the state
is not testing anybody despite having many suspected cases, it only translates
that there may be more cases to deal with later and we don’t know where they
are now.Community transmission will be inevitable. And this could only spell
impending doom,” he said.
is not testing anybody despite having many suspected cases, it only translates
that there may be more cases to deal with later and we don’t know where they
are now.Community transmission will be inevitable. And this could only spell
impending doom,” he said.
Similarly,
last month, Chikwe Ihekweazu, the Director-General of the Nigeria Center for
Disease Control (NCDC), expressed disappointment with the number of samples
brought in for testing from states that had yet to report COVID-19 cases.
last month, Chikwe Ihekweazu, the Director-General of the Nigeria Center for
Disease Control (NCDC), expressed disappointment with the number of samples
brought in for testing from states that had yet to report COVID-19 cases.
an’t hide
this. Eventually, it will emerge. There is absolutely no doubt that there are
people that have pneumonia, acute respiratory infections in your states,” Mr
Ihekweazu said.
this. Eventually, it will emerge. There is absolutely no doubt that there are
people that have pneumonia, acute respiratory infections in your states,” Mr
Ihekweazu said.
In what
appeared a reaction to Mr Ihekweazu’s statement, the Kogi State Government
alleged there were “recent pressures from some interesting quarters for Kogi
State to find and declare cases of the disease.”
appeared a reaction to Mr Ihekweazu’s statement, the Kogi State Government
alleged there were “recent pressures from some interesting quarters for Kogi
State to find and declare cases of the disease.”
In a Tuesday
statement by its commissioner for information, Kingsley Fanwo, the state
alleged plans to ‘import’ cases of coronavirus into the state through illicit
means.
statement by its commissioner for information, Kingsley Fanwo, the state
alleged plans to ‘import’ cases of coronavirus into the state through illicit
means.
The Kogi
government said it would not manufacture cases to satisfy the expectations of
unnamed health officials, amidst allegations, including by a journalist, that
the state has recorded deaths from the virus at a Federal Medical Centre (FMC)
in the state.
government said it would not manufacture cases to satisfy the expectations of
unnamed health officials, amidst allegations, including by a journalist, that
the state has recorded deaths from the virus at a Federal Medical Centre (FMC)
in the state.
Mr Fanwo, in a
phone interview with PREMIUM TIMES on Tuesday, said nobody had died from the
disease in the state.
phone interview with PREMIUM TIMES on Tuesday, said nobody had died from the
disease in the state.
He said the
FMC “is owned by the federal government and controlled by the federal ministry
of health.”
FMC “is owned by the federal government and controlled by the federal ministry
of health.”
“It is your
duty as journalists to discern fake news from facts. Kogi has no case of
COVID-19 or deaths relating to that,” he said.
duty as journalists to discern fake news from facts. Kogi has no case of
COVID-19 or deaths relating to that,” he said.
Asked how
suspected cases were being detected without testing, he said the state had
developed a self-assessment app around the NCDC’s checklist for ‘suspected and
high-risk cases.’
suspected cases were being detected without testing, he said the state had
developed a self-assessment app around the NCDC’s checklist for ‘suspected and
high-risk cases.’
He said more
than 200,000 people had accessed the app but when investigations were carried
out, no case had been identified as ‘high-risk.’
than 200,000 people had accessed the app but when investigations were carried
out, no case had been identified as ‘high-risk.’
He concluded
by saying “we track them to their homes when they fill out the
questionnaire on the app, and have a personal interview with them. The team of
health experts take it from there with the supervision of the state
epidemiologist who reports to the governor and then to the NCDC. If they claim
that there is no case, then there is no case.
by saying “we track them to their homes when they fill out the
questionnaire on the app, and have a personal interview with them. The team of
health experts take it from there with the supervision of the state
epidemiologist who reports to the governor and then to the NCDC. If they claim
that there is no case, then there is no case.
