There was controversy yesterday as medical personnel at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Idi-Aba, Abeokuta, accused the Ogun state government of supplying insufficient Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for the treatment of Lassa fever patient at the hospital’s Isolation Centre.
Chairman of the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM) at FMC, Mrs. Yemisi Fagoyinbo, told journalists that they were running out of PPEs as government “only supplied 60 out of 100 PPEs” requested by the hospital.
Besides, Fagoyinbo expressed displeasure that Commissioner for Health, Dr Babatunde Ipaye, had not inspected the Centre since the first case of Lassa fever was recorded on Friday, last week.
Blueprint reports that Ogun recorded first index case of Lassa on Friday and 106 contacts have been identified as at yesterday.
In a swift reaction, Ipaye dismissed the allegation, saying the Ibikunle Amosun-led government had always supplied PPEs adequately to the FMC.
The Commissioner told reporters that the government supplied 50 PPEs to FMC, last year, but no case was recorded.
He, however, said those unused PPEs couldn’t be accounted for 2017, by FMC medical personnel when Lassa fever broke out.
Ipaye said he had reported the personnel to the Minister of Health, Prof Isaac Adewole, and threatened to shut the hospital if medical personnel wouldn’t perform their duty of treating patients.
“I have called the CMD to warn them. Last year, we gave them 50 PPEs and there was no case. We asked them this year about those equipment, but they could not provide them. Each PPE costs N20, 000; if they need more they should have called us. We trained them, gave them drugs and we established that Isolation Center at FMC for them.
“I told the minister that if they don’t take care of the patient, I will lock the hospital. We are going to supply them with PPE. PPE is supplied when it is needed. It is their duty to take of patient. If we could give them 50 PPEs last year and there was no case and we gave them 60, this year; they should have told us that they need more.
“Hazard allowance is collected monthly as part of their monthly emolument. Whatever they do is their duty just like their colleagues that treat HIV patients.”
Speaking earlier, Fatoyinbo, the leader of medical officer in charge of the patient, said the present equipment at the Isolation centre would not last more than a day if the government fails to send more equipments.
Fagoyinbo disclosed that the confirmed patient, who is an admission seeker at the Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro, Ogun state, had been responding to treatment.
