Don’t Indulge In Unauthorized Treatment Of Coronavirus Patients — Minister of Health, Ehanire Osagie Tells Doctors

Doctors in the country have been asked to refrain from unauthorized treatment of Coronavirus patients.

The Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire who made the call during the briefing of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 in Abuja on Thursday May 7, said the appeal became necessary to reduce the incidences of health workers getting infected with the disease.

Ehanire said, “All healthcare professionals and associated personnel should diligently follow safety infection prevention and control protocols – both inside and outside healthcare facilities, and not to indulge in unauthorised treatment of COVID-19 cases.”

The Minister also admitted that the self-isolation policy for those coming into the country by air, land or sea has failed following the spread of the disease from such travellers. He further revealed that the provision of self-isolation has now been replaced with compulsory quarantine of returnees on arrival.

Ehanire added, “The policy we have now is that anybody arriving Nigeria from anywhere whether by air, land or by sea will go into quarantine for 14 days. During that 14 days they will be observed for any signs or symptoms of COVID-19 disease. They will be tested at the beginning and at the end.

“We don’t have a provision for isolation at home. At the very beginning, we had that provision that if you came in and did not have a symptom, you isolate at home. Since then, all the cases we are dealing with now came in and multiplied. In order to reduce the incidence of cases coming in and then forming clusters of new infections, the provision has now changed to what we call isolation-one or quarantine.

“Quarantine is for those who have not been confirmed or who are under isolation. If during the period, signs and symptoms show up, they will be tested. If they are positive they will go to treatment centres. If after 14 days they show no symptoms or signs and they are tested and are negative, they are free to go. That is the protocol we have now.”