Three doctors test positive for coronavirus in Lagos

Three doctors at Alimosho General Hospital and Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja, have tested positive for coronavirus.

Oluwajimi Sodipo and Ismail Ajibowo, chairman and secretary of the Medical Guild, confirmed this in a post on Instagram.

Medical Guild is an umbrella body of doctors under the employment of the Lagos state government.

Sodipo and Ajibowo said the three doctors had been admitted at different isolation facilities in Lagos for treatment, and were currently stable.

According to a post by the guild, the medical officers had been exposed to COVID-19 cases.

“We regrettably want to inform that we have 3 colleagues who have tested positive (from Alimosho and LASUTH) and they have been admitted at the various isolation centres,” the post read.

“Thankfully they are all stable as we speak. The Guild has been providing support to them while we await results from other centres.”

The guild also said there were ongoing efforts to engage with government on the welfare of medical workers in the state, especially on the need to designate them “as frontline workers, ensuring provision of personal protective equipment and making incentives due to the increased risk”.

“We are hopeful of a favourable response so as to avoid any escalation of the already tense situation we are exposed to as healthcare workers,” they added.

“We again reiterate that no one is to attend to any patient without adequate Personal Protective Equipment due to community transmission and varying symptoms of COVID 19; all patients are COVID-19 suspects.

“We should also adopt rational use of the PPEs, while adopting the slogan of ‘NO PPE, NO WORK’.

“We will regularly update members and appeal that we need a unity of purpose during this exasperating situation, and all concerns can be escalated to the Reps and the Officers Committee.”

 

View this post on Instagram

 

COVID-19 RESPONSE AND DOCTORS TRANSMISSION The Medical Guild appreciates the enormous sacrifice and effort that all members are making in the fight against COVID-19. This is despite the serious risk to everyone one of us , and most especially our families and loved ones. As we are aware there have been known exposure of colleagues to COVID-19 cases in some of our hospitals including Alimosho GH, GH Ikorodu , GH Lagos and LASUTH. Since the incidents, we have been working with our Reps in those centres and the Medical Directors to ensure testing of those involved, with a plan for care in the unfortunate incident of positive cases. We regrettably want to inform that we have 3 colleagues who have tested positive ( from Alimosho and LASUTH) and they have been admitted at the various isolation centres. Thankfully they are all stable as we speak. The Guild has been providing support to them while we await results from other centres. The Guild has been attempting to engage the Government with an emphasis on designating us all as front line workers, ensuring provision of Personal protective equipment and making incentives due to the increased risk we are exposed to. We are hopeful of a favourable response so as to avoid any escalation of the already tense situation we are exposed to as health care workers. We again reiterate that no one is to attend to any patient without adequate Personal Protective Equipment due to community transmission and varying symptoms of COVID 19, all patients are COVID-19 suspects. We should also adopt rational use of the PPE’s while adopting the slogan of ‘NO PPE, NO WORK’ We will regularly update members and appeal that we need a unity of purpose during this exasperating situation, and all concerns can be escalated to the Reps and the Officers Committee. There will be light at the end of the tunnel. Let’s stay safe. Signed Chairman Dr Sodipo Oluwajimi Secretary Dr Ajibowo Ismail

A post shared by Medical Guild (@official_medical_guild) on Apr 21, 2020 at 1:41am PDT

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Earlier, Osagie Ehanire, minister of health, said 40 health workers had tested positive for the virus.