The chairman, Medical Advisory Committee of Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi and Chairman, NAUTH Taskforce on COVID-19 has debunked rumours that there is an outbreak of COVID-19 at the Teaching Hospital and many members of staff of the hospital have tested positive to covid-19. He said there was no truth in the rumour. He said these while briefing newsmen on the activities of the Taskforce.
“There is no outbreak of COVID-19 in NAUTH. The general public should disregard such rumours. As a Tertiary hospital, all eyes and hopes are on the hospital to help and manage our people who are affected by the pandemic and the Chief Medical Director, Prof AO Igwegbe has made it clear that we cannot adjudicate that responsibility at this point in time in our history. So necessarily, the hospital will continue to work hard to assist people who are affected by the pandemic. As the covid-19 issues are still ongoing, it is not unexpected that patients with covid-19 like symptoms will seek assistance from the hospital. We cannot abandon them. What is important is that we put in place adequate measures to ensure that as we do this, our staff, the patients and visitors to the facility are protected. And that is what the CMD has worked hard to achieve by painstakingly providing the needed PPEs and also supporting the activities of the taskforce. We remain grateful to him for providing the required leadership in a period like this”.
Dr Ugboaja explained that following the last case they managed at the hospital, the CMD ordered for a comprehensive contact tracing and a few members of staff who were affected had been asked to proceed on self isolation according to international standards of practice and the NCDC guidelines. He said that contact tracing, testing and self isolation are all part of the preventive strategies against covid-19.
Dr Ugboaja said that there is no cause for panic and the hospital remains very safe for patients care. “There is actually no cause for alarm as the CMD and the Board of the hospital have worked hard to ensure that the Teaching hospital is very safe for clinical duties and patients’ care. We have a functional Isolation and Treatment center away from the other hospital wards where any suspected or confirmed covid-19 patient is managed. We have a highly effective Rapid Response Team and Case management Team led by Infectious disease experts with the full complement of all the necessary and relevant cadres of staff working at the Isolation unit in a 24/7 protocol in collaboration with other frontline workers especially those at the emergency points. These teams are sufficiently trained and motivated to triage, isolate and manage all suspected cases of covid-19 that presented at the hospital along standard triage and treatment protocols and the management remains grateful to them”.
The Chairman, Medical Advisory Committee also debunked the rumours that some members of NAUTH management have tested positive to covid-19 and have been quarantined. “No member of the management team, including myself has tested positive to covid-19 and quarantined. The Management under the able leadership of the CMD, Prof AO Igwegbe is fully on ground and working round the clock to ensure not only that the hospital is safe but importantly that our people who are unfortunate to be affected by this pandemic receive the best of care and are not abandoned. This is of an immense responsibility and we are happy and grateful that the hospital management and Board have risen to the occasion.
Dr Ugboaja paid glowing tribute to the efforts of the Chief Medical Director in ensuring the provision of PPEs in adequate numbers and quality. “Our CMD, Prof AO Igwegbe deserves a special commendation for his performance at these trying times in making sure that we have the needed PPEs and for providing other logistics that are needed for staff safety and optimal patients care. I’m sure, you are aware that we still take our samples to ISTH Irrhua in Edo state for analysis as there is no testing center around. This requires a lot of logistics which are being provided by the CMD. Just recently, we conducted a one week long COVID-19 training workshop for about 500 selected staff members who are meant to step down the training in their various departments and units. This was conducted by the training committee of the Taskforce in collaboration with the NCDC and the State epidemiology office and was fully sponsored by the Chief Medical Director. It is also instructive to note that he has provided additional financial incentives for all our staff members working at the isolation unit to boost their morale and efficiency”.
The CMAC then called on corporate organizations and good spirited individuals to assist the hospital in the area of PPEs. “At present, the hospital management is being overwhelmed by the demand and use of the PPEs which must be provided so as to protect the staff members and give patients the best of care. It has become very challenging and this can’t be left for the hospital management alone. As the hospital staff and management are putting their lives on line to ensure that everybody is safe and the affected people are not left to their fate, it’s only fair and reasonable that they receive the support and encouragement from all the stakeholders. While we remain very grateful and to a few organizations and individuals who have made material donations to the hospital, we call on others to take a cue and come to the assistance of the hospital with the PPEs”.
Dr Ugboaja encouraged everybody to take COVID-19 preventive strategies more seriously including staying at home, use of face masks, avoidance of crowded areas, maintenance of physical distancing as well as use of alcohol based hand sanitizers.
