UZOKWE'S SEARCHLIGHT

Tuesday, March 31, 2020
[email protected]
Harrisburg, PA, USA
FIGHT AGAINST CORONAVIRUS IN NIGERIA MUST INCLUDE SANITARY/STERILE HOSPITALS AND HOSPITAL STAFF

igeria has finally joined the civilized world in putting in place some of the safety protocols that other nations are taking to curb the spread of the dreaded coronavirus. Nigeria�s president, after many weeks of prodding, has finally put in place social distancing measures that include a 14-day curbing of movement around major cities. Even before his announcement, some state governors had already taken the bull by the horns by instituting these measures in their states.

Yes, these measures are going to be very challenging to many, especially Nigerians in the lowest rung of the economic ladder. These are people who survive, on a daily basis, by going out and selling their wares and using the gains from each day to feed their families. These categories of Nigerians will be very challenged by these measures. But yet, these are important measures geared towards safeguarding the lives of many. Thanks to some of the generous Nigerians donating money and food items to the National stimulus program established to help alleviate the sufferings of the needy.

Having said the above, let me remind all Nigerians that there is a very crucial part of the fight against coronavirus that seems to be ignored or lost in the discussion in these tumultuous times. People should not forget that even as we deal with the coronavirus scourge, citizens still get sick from other ailments like high blood pressure, diabetes, malaria and the likes. People who get sick from these other ailments, rely on hospital visits for treatment. Nothing will be as tragic a situation as when someone goes to the hospital for treatment of a different ailment but then contracts the dreaded virus. I say this because some years back, I was shocked when my brother and I visited a friend in the hospital in Nigeria. He was in an accident. The hospital environment, walls, beds, equipment were so dirty and obviously unsanitary that I said to my brother that the patient had a chance of catching an infection. Throughout our stay in the hospital that day, which lasted about 30 minutes, I was careful to avoid touching the walls, the door handles. I would not even sit down. That was how glaringly dirty the hospital was. The visit occurred during the dry and dusty December months so one could see layers of dust everywhere inside the hospital, even on equipment that were supposed to be sterile. That experience stayed with me for many years. I recall narrating it in one of my commentaries on Nigeriaworld.

Today, I read the experience a Facebook friend narrated that got me thinking about my Nigerian hospital visit experience again. The Facebook friend narrated how she took her sick child to the hospital. In the interest and abundance of caution, she was wearing a mask. But she said that the hospital staff were not wearing masks. Here is how she put it. �My girl was sick so I took her to the hospital

On getting there, nurses that where suppose(d) to put on face mask and hand gloves sat down gossiping in circles. I told them I wanted to see the doctor. She took my card straight to where the doctor was. Even doctor no wear face mask and gloves. Me with my face mask and glove just dey look am.

He asked me what was wrong with my girl I explained. He was like "are you coughing and sneezing" my girl said no. He said thank God because if ur coughing and sneezing I will leave you here and run bcos my life is important to me". I smiled. I was like doc, at this crucial time people are being careful, you and your nurses are careless. Even those that work at the banks, supermarkets, eateries etc are well covered cos people troop in and out on a regular basis. While your hospital is putting people at risk. See the way you guys are exposed. No face mask, no sanitizer and gloves knowing fully well this place is a hospital, an infected person can easily come in here unknowingly spread the virus and there are 100% chances you guys will be infected. What then are you advising we that are your patient? What if I was infected and sneeze in front of you.�

Obviously, my Facebook friend is a very socially aware person and well-read, so she understands what was expected from the hospital staff. How about Nigerians not literate enough to follow the news, to log into the internet to see what is going on around the world? What about those Nigerians that are unaware of the CDC and WHO sanitary protocols? Those people do get sick from other ailments too and need the intervention of the hospital. If the hospitals are oblivious of the instructions from CDC, WHO and the likes about taking precautions that include wearing masks and gloves, what fate will befall them when they visit the hospitals?

As the husband of a nurse here in the United States, I am aware of the extreme measures they are taking here to protect themselves, their families and their patients. In some of the hospitals here, visits to hospitals by folks that are not sick, are not allowed unless you have a patient that cannot care for him or herself. Even in that case, the visitor is screened through temperature taking and some questions before being allowed into the hospital. I hope that Nigerian hospitals, both private and public, must get on the sanitary protocol wagon. Use masks, wash hands often, wear gloves and practice social distancing in the hospital. Restrict visitors to the hospitals and if they must come in, take measures like checking their temperatures, etc before they are allowed in.

The Nigerian government must use all effective communication means to alert all Nigerians of the fact that patients going to hospitals have the right not to be contaminated. They have the right to a clean hospital. They have the right to be attended to by doctors and nurses who wear masks and gloves. They have the right to ask questions.

Finally, the taskforce in Nigeria responsible for going around and checking on people who contravene government �shut down� order, should also be visiting hospitals to check on how far the hospitals are complying with sanitary and social distancing protocols. Enough said.

HERE I STAND

Author of the books- 1. Nigeria: Contemporary Commentaries and Essays

2. Surviving in Biafra: The Story of the Nigerian Civil War

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