COVID-19: Medical expert wants involvement of all doctors to fight scourge

COVID-19: Medical expert wants involvement of all doctors to fight scourge

By Olubukola Aiyedogbon

Synergy

Ilorin, April 18, 2020 (NAN) A medical doctor, Dr Olusolape Ogunniyi, has called for synergy among medical personnel, government and private professionals involved in the fight against Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Ogunniyi, a private medical practitioner, said this on Saturday in Ilorin while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

She commended the government of Kwara and the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) for constant information and sensitisation on the pandemic.

“Initially there were much misinformation and misconceptions which have been minimised.

“I however want to encourage the government not to relent in its effort on sensitising the general public on the pandemic and preventive measures,” she said.

She observed that when the lockdown was earlier imposed by the state government, the level of compliance was laudable but there now seem to be lapses in compliance.

“I enjoin the government to intensify efforts to reach out to the people and meet their needs so that they would comply with the lockdown order.

“Government should also ensure adequate provision of equipment, kits and protective wears for medical personnel to work effectively, and to brace up further in the area of training more personnel,” she said.

Ogunniyi said that the nation was currently at war with the pandemic, and the medical personnel were the soldiers on the battlefield, adding that some colleagues at the frontline had lost their lives while saving the lives of others in some places.

While acknowledging that sometimes there were fears, she said that they still have to stay committed to their duty and take utmost precautions.

“But a lot is still needed to be done to show concern, encouragement and to appreciate what we are doing at this time.

“A lot could be done through public-private partnership. This is a time to have a count of medical personnel on ground.

“This is not a time to segregate, but a time to synergise efforts and get every medical personnel involved in the fight against the pandemic.

“Both government and private professionals, should strategise as well as brace up to be able to respond.

“Government should make provisions for both public and private organisations to come to the table and find a solution because this is a time for joint and collaborative efforts,” Ogunniyi said. (NAN)

OJB/ESAN/MST

Edited by Abiodun Esan/Muhammad Suleiman Tola