Rule breakers, testing snags… healthcare workers speak on one year of COVID-19 in Nigeria

Healthcare workers have been leading the line in the all-out global war against COVID-19 in the past year — and Nigeria is no exception. In the journey thus far, some have fallen, never to rise again while many fell and got back up to continue fighting.

For most healthcare workers, it has been the most challenging period of their careers. No training could have prepared them for the experiences they have encountered and challenges faced.

From dealing with issues of insufficient personal protective equipment to non-compliance of many Nigerians and the sheer obstinacy of COVID-19 doubters, healthcare workers have had to play the roles of superheroes as we wade through these uncertain times.

Japhet Olugbogi, chairman of the committee on COVID-19, Lagos chapter of Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), lamented that inadequate testing capacity has contributed to the spread of coronavirus in Nigeria.

“Testing has been very cumbersome for so many people. They find it difficult to access test centres because so many people are cramping up at a particular test centre. When they eventually test, they don’t get the result on time, ” he said.

“Even healthcare workers unfortunately do not get their results on time.”

According to Olugbogi, individuals unaware of their status go about their normal lives, inadvertently infecting others.

He also noted that most people in the country are unable to afford the cost of the COVID-19 test.

“Because the government adopted the polymerase chain reaction test (PCR) which is quite expensive, it wasn’t easy for the masses to afford the cost of the testing,” Olugbogi said.

“Only well-to-do people or those who need it to travel could afford the testing which is about N50,000 to N50,400. Most of the masses end up at the Infectious Disease Hospital (IDH) or at the government-owned facilities which is not sustainable for us.”

Concerning the stigmatisation experienced by recovered patients, Olugbogi blamed it on lack of proper COVID-19 orientation and education.

“COVID-19 could actually happen to anyone. You don’t know if you are going to be the next person tomorrow. When you stigmatise people, you can push them into depression and push them into doing things that are not right. It is very wrong to stigmatise people that have gone through this kind of ordeal,” he said.

In a chat with TheCable, Laz Ude Eze, a public health physician and development consultant, called on governments at the state level to do more in the areas of public orientation and health security.

Eze said: “Nigeria will do better in handling the coronavirus pandemic when state governments demonstrate political will and invest more resources in risk communications, health promotion, health security and health system strengthening.”

He further advised recovered COVID-19 patients with lingering symptoms to see a medical doctor for evaluation, identification of the cause and management.

On his part, Olawale Animasaun, a medical laboratory scientist, emphasised the importance of non-pharmaceutical control measures such as handwashing, correct usage of face masks, and use of hand sanitisers.

He bemoaned the nonchalant attitude of the majority of Nigerians who feel as though the virus is a ‘rich man’s disease’.

“People are informed about COVID-19. We all know what we need to do to stay safe but people are not doing it. Maybe because we are fortunate in our nation that the fatality rate is not as advanced as foreign nations, ” he said.

“If you are protected in terms of your immunity, you may transmit to other people. We have a lot of asymptomatic cases that transmit to others. These people end up suffering intensely. That’s why we are advocating for adherence to safety protocol.”