Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has rejected the invitation of Chinese doctors into the country in the guise of offering assistance.
It would be recalled that on April 4, Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire said 18 Chinese doctors were coming to Nigeria with medical supplies including ventilators, to assist in overcoming the COVID-19 pandemic in the country.
In a statement made available and signed by the president of the association, Dr. Francis A. Faduyile, the body stated they were not consulted before the decision was made.
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The body in its statement expressed that;
The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) received the news of the intention of the Federal Government of Nigeria to invite Chinese doctors into the country at this time of a global pandemic with great dismay and utter disappointment.
NMA stated that;
It is a thing of embarrassment to the membership of the Association and other health workers who are giving their best in the fight against Covid-19 pandemic under deplorable working conditions, and a fragile health system to be subjected to the ignominy of not being carried along in arriving at such a decision.
According to the association, the lack of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), grossly inadequate test kits and test centres across the country, and the absolute lack of any form of insurance for the workforce are primordial issues begging for attention.
Faduyile stressed that they are “profoundly dismayed to learn that the Federal Government is instead inviting the Chinese who from available accounts are not out of the woods themselves.”
He claimed that the spike in cases and the death toll from COVID-19 in Italy coincided with the arrival of the Chinese in the guise of offering assistance, adding that the United Nations has only just recently commended the efforts of Nigeria so far.
The statement further reads;
The Association notes with grave concern that the Government did not take into consideration the extant laws regulating the practice of medicine in Nigeria as enshrined in the Medical and Dental Council Act.
This is one such circumstance where the Medical and Dental Council of Nigerian should be consulted to grant necessary approvals to foreigners to interact with Nigerian patients.
The association said it appreciates the commendable work done by doctors and health workers at the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and the various isolation centres across the country, saying;
It expects the Government to show appreciation by channelling the available resources and donations to improving testing facilities to detect more cases and ramp up capacity to train more workers.
In its communique, the NMA said;
The Association is aware of a large pool of General Medical and Specialist Practitioners who are either unemployed or underemployed that can be engaged instead of bringing foreigners who aside from national security concerns may not be conversant with our culture, terrain and peculiar challenges.
The association believes that the invitation is ill-timed and of no significance considering that whatever experiences the Chinese have can be shared by digital technology through conferencing.
Faduyile stated that they do not oppose donation of equipment and supplies, however;
In rejecting the invitation of the Chinese doctors, the NMA would instead urge the Federal Government to review and approve better welfare incentives to the frontline medical personnel.
The provision of adequate personal protective equipment, opening and properly equipping more isolation centres and health facilities across the country is an excellent first step. Deploying more resources to facilitate testing as we are beginning to witness community transmission of COVID 19 is equally a better application of scarce resources.
The association urges the government to rescind the decision in the overall interest of the country.
Read full statement below;
