*Demands state of emergency in health sector By Onyebuchi Ezigbo The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has said that it is totally opposed to any plan by the federal government to invite Chinese doctors into the country to assist in tackling COVID-19. The association said it received the news of the intention of the federal government …
*Demands state of emergency in health sector
By Onyebuchi Ezigbo
The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has said that it is totally opposed to any plan by the federal government to invite Chinese doctors into the country to assist in tackling COVID-19.
The association said it received the news of the intention of the federal government of Nigeria to invite Chinese doctors into the country at this time of a global pandemic “with great dismay and utter disappointment”.
It said that it would be 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,” it said.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the NMA President, Dr. Francis A. Faduyile, said the association expects that the government would rescind the decision in the overall interest of the country.
The statement described the government’s move as a “thing of embarrassment to members of the NMA 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.”
It said the association would be reviewing their participation in the fight against COVID-19 considering the grave implications and the risk to the lives of its members should the government go ahead with this ill-thought-out invitation at this time.
