The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors has confirmed the death of one of its members from Lassa fever.
President of the Association, Aliyu Sokomba said the medical doctor who worked in Benue state, died today at the Irua Specialist Hospital in Edo state due to complications of Lassa fever he contracted while treating infected patients. He also said that few other doctors have also lost their lives to the deadly disease.
The NARD President also raised a concern that many medical doctors across the country may have contacted the COVID -19 disease due to the hazards they expose themselves to while attending to patients without adequate protection.
While he stressing the lack of personal protective equipment, including masks, surgical masks in most of the hospital across the country in the face of the battle to contain the COVID -19 pandemic globally, the NARD President called on the Federal, State and Local governments to kindly reward the medical doctors with an upward review of their hazard allowance to 200,000, as well as providing them with life insurance and improved infrastructures in the hospitals.
He also stressed the need for proper monitoring and distribution of equipment and funds donated for the fight against COVID -!9.
“Every other day we hear of several donations being made by corporate bodies and other several well-meaning Nigerians, yet still we do not have gloves, appropriate masks in our hospital.
Currently, we go home with a nibbling fear of death of infecting our loved ones in cases of contracting the disease.
In the face of all this, we still go home with the paltry sum of 5000 as hazard allowance monthly,” the NARD President stated.
Source: Channels TV
