The federal government has again called on Nigerian hospitals to stop rejecting patients because of COVID-19 pandemics.
Making the call Wednesday at an online conference with Nigerians, senior special adviser to the president on policy matters, Mr. Ibrahim Bapetel said Nigerians are becoming worried about the common complaint that hospitals are turning back patients because of the fear of COVID-19.
He said: “No hospital should refuse patients that come for treatment. The chairman of Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, had sometimes ago called on hospitals not to turn back patients.
“The PTF raised concern and expressed interest in the welfare of health personnel. The SGF called on hospital authorities to ensure that other patients are not turned away when they come for treatment. Hospitals should please stop rejecting other patients because of coronavirus pandemic. Nigerians should also stop stigmatizing those that recover from coronavirus treatment.”
One of the contributors to the online conference, Mr. Theiophilus Davis had painted a vivid picture of how he and others took a pregnant woman to the hospital only to be turned back after several hours.
Mr. David said: “When people are sick, nurses and doctors don’t want to attend to them. We took a pregnant woman to the hospital and we were there from 12 noon to 2pm and they told us to go home. Nigerians should not be rejected because of COVID-19 pandemic.”
A member of the NPOP, Dr. Segun Oshinaga, attributed the attitude of Nigerian hospitals rejecting patients to cultural problems. He said it is wrong for any hospital to reject anyone with health problems adding that hospitals do so because they know there will be no consequences. In other climes, he said, they may lose their license if it is reported to the authorities.
Dr. Rilwan Yahaya of the FCT COVID-19 Response Team however disagreed with Dr. Oshinaga saying what the hospitals usually tell patients was to go and do test which they interpret to mean rejection.
Technical Assistant/Head, Media Team of NPOP, Mr. Ahmad Sajoh said the views of participants at the online conference would be presented to the presidency for action.
