Chinese medical team coming with more than a million masks, says health minister

Osagie Ehanire, minister of health, says the medical team being expected from China is coming into the country with more than a million masks.

Speaking at the media briefing of the presidential task force on COVID-19, the minister said the Chinese team will bring with them “globally scarce supplies”.

“A Chinese team is arriving in Nigeria soon. And they are bringing with them globally scarce supplies,” he said.

“The equipment includes PPEs and consumables and more than a million masks. The team will share their knowledge and skills with us.”

The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) had rejected the idea, describing it as an embarrassment to the association and other health workers “who are giving their best in the fight against COVID-19 pandemic”.

Francis Faduyile, president of NMA, had said the NMA was not carried along before the federal government arrived at the decision.

But Ehanire said the Chinese team would be subjected to Nigerian rules, assuring the NMA that there is no need to be worried.

Boss Mustapha, secretary to the government of the federation who is chairman of the task force, buttressed the position of Ehanire.

He said the Chinese experts would not have access to Nigerian patients but only offer advice to their counterparts and assist in installing the equipment they would bring.

“The Chinese doctors are not accredited by the NMA so they cannot practice here. They would just share their experience on how the epidemic was contained in China,” he said.

“They would also offer training and advice to our doctors because they are experts in this area.

“The world has become a global village. If you are not willing to share or you want to live in isolation, you would not make progress… They (the Chinese doctors) would not see our patients; they would not manage our patients; they would just share their experience with us.

“We should be careful not to allow unnecessary controversy distract the fight against COVID-19.”