Date: 2021-01-22

The Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) has commended the Kwara State Government for ensuring regular supply of supplemental oxygen to the Infection Diseases Hospital, Sobi in Ilorin.

The NMA Chairman in the state, Baba Issa, gave the commendation in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Ilorin.

Supplemental oxygen therapy is administered to patients with severe COVID-19 and severe acute respiratory problems.

Mr Isah said that the supplementary oxygen has made the Sobi centre enviable to many others and greatly helped in reducing mortality from COVID-19 in the state.

"Most patients who manage to get to Sobi, survive and get discharged alive. This is commendable," the NMA chairman said.

He decried the daily rising figures during this second phase, which is higher than the first, adding that last week, resident doctors claimed that 20 of their members were infected with COVID-19.

Mr Isah said he was optimistic about vaccination against COVID-19, adding that as soon as the vaccine arrives in Nigeria, it would be distributed to states, Kwara inclusive.

"Citizens should not panic; they should accept the inoculation as prescribed by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) and of course, the manufacturer, including maintenance of the cold chain," he said.

On school reopening, the NMA chairman said the government, schools, parents and guardians should work together to ensure that students don’t get infected.

He said that handwashing machines (or improvised devices) should be provided, sanitisers, nose masks (with or without face shield) and appropriate physical distancing should be ensured.

"Contact sports should be discouraged in schools such as football, wrestling and others where body connection is unavoidable.

"If these are done, we might be able to continue our children's education unhindered. Otherwise, phased resumption should be attempted, combined with virtual lectures," he said.

Mr Isah urged all concerned parties, including doctors, to obey prevention and control laws by the government to stop the spread of COVID-19.

(NAN)