Stop rejecting patients complaining of cough or fever, Abia warns health workers

Joe Osuji, commissioner for health in Abia state, has warned health institutions against rejecting patients with COVID-19 symptoms.

In an interview with NAN, Osuji said there had been complaints that some patients with cough and cold, which are symptoms of coronavirus, were being rejected.

“The problem we are having with health institutions now is that when a patient reports cough, or fever to them, they assume it is a COVID-19 case. Prior to the coronavirus outbreak, did people not have cases of cough and fever and they go to hospitals and get treated?” he asked.

“People before now have tuberculosis and were treated before the outbreak of COVID-19. So why are our health institutions rejecting people who have come to them for treatment? Examine your patients when they come and then make your diagnosis right before calling the COVID-19 call centre.

“Then the rapid response team will come and collect the sample and send and when the result comes out, if it is positive, the government will take over the management of the case. But if it is negative, the patient should be treated in that facility and re-integrated into the society.”

He disclosed that the three suspected cases of coronavirus infections in the state tested negative, making it clear that there is no confirmed case of COVID-19 in the state.

He added that people would be regularly updated on the situation through the appropriate media of communication.