There is mid drama between the Federal Government and the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) over the invitation of the Chinese government to help in the fight against covid19 in the country.
Since the news of inviting Chinese broke, many Nigerians were against the idea following outburst of the NMA against the idea.
NMA saw the Federal government plan to invite the Chinese doctors as a slight on the faces of their members who are doing exceptionally well in curtailing the spread of coronavirus at the moment.
NMA in their official statement vehemently rejected the invitation of the Chinese doctors in the guise of offering assistant describing it as an insult to the association expressing a grave concern that the government did not take into consideration the extent laws regulating the practice of medicine in Nigeria as enshrined in the medical and dental council act.
They insisted that such invitation is one of such circumstances where medical and dental council of Nigeria should be consulted to grant necessary approvals to foreigners to interact with Nigerian patients.
In rejecting the invitation of the Chinese doctors, the NMA urged the federal government to review and approve better welfare incentives to the front line medical personnel. The provision of adequate personal protective equipment, opening and properly equipping more isolation centers as well as health facilities across the country.
They also want the federal government to deploy more resources to facilitate testing as the country is beginning to witness community transmission of covid19.
“The lack of PPEs, grossly inadequate test kits and test centres across the country are primordial issues begging for attention at this time”
The association expects that the Government would rescind the decision in the overall interest of the country or they will reconsider their involvement the fight against strike.
However, the Speaker House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila intervened and had meeting with two ministers in charge health in the country.
Femi Gbajabiamila said he had met with the two Ministers in charge of Health over concerns expressed by indigenous medical practitioners and many Nigerians on the engagement of Chinese Doctors and Nurses for the management of COVID-19 in Nigeria.
Femi said they extracted the following commitments from the meetings:
“The Ministers of Health informed me that the Chinese Doctors are here for specific training and upgrading of molecular laboratories. Like I said we remain vigilant and continue to engage”.
“The Doctors and Nurses will follow the protocol and be quarantined for 14 days once they arrive in Nigeria 2. The Doctors and Nurses will at no time have any physical contact with any patient”
“There will be strict compliance with all relevant immigration laws regarding work permits. We remain vigilant and our engagement continues”.
