The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has reported 8 new cases of Coronavirus (COVID-19) in the country.
The NCDC said the country’s total COVID-19 cases had now risen to 232.
Meanwhile, The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) and the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) have urged the federal government to halt its plan to invite an 18-man Chinese team of medical experts to assist the country in the fight against coronavirus (COVID-19).
They described the move as ill-timed and embarrassing, as it undermines the efforts and expertise of our frontline healthcare workers risking their lives every day to keep the country safe.
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The Associations therefore, says that it might be forced to review its participation and withdraw its members from all public health facilities in the country if the government proceeds with its plans.
The President of the NMA, Dr. Francis Faduyile, made this known in a statement on Sunday in Abuja.
According to him, “The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) 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 is a thing of embarrassment to the membership of the Association 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.
“The lack of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), grossly inadequate test kits and test centres across the country, and the absolute lack of any form of insurance for the workforce are primordial issues begging for attention at this time.
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“We are therefore profoundly dismayed to learn that the Federal Government is instead inviting the Chinese who from available accounts are not out of the woods themselves.
“The NMA would loathe reviewing her participation in the fight against COVID-19 considering the grave implications and the risk to the lives of her members should the Government go ahead with this ill-thought-out invitation at this time.
“The spike in cases and the death toll from COVID -19 in Italy coincided with the arrival of the Chinese in the guise of offering assistance. Even the United Nations has only just recently commended the efforts of Nigeria so far”.
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