16 Lagos Doctors Test Positive

16 Lagos Doctors Test Positive

* Three Ondo health workers test positive

James Sowole in Akure

Medical doctors under the employ of Lagos State government yesterday said 16 of its members had tested positive for COVID-19.

This is coming as three persons who are members of the Ondo State COVID-19 team have been reportedly infected with the deadly disease.

The doctors, under the auspices of Medical Guild, at a press conference said the members had been playing a critical role in the COVID-19 response by engaging in training, contact tracing and surveillance, enlightening of the public and providing clinical care at the isolation centres and the hospitals.

Chairman of the Guild, Dr. Oluwajimi Sodipo, said, “This has, unfortunately, led to several healthcare workers infected with COVID-19 and over 16 doctors isolated so far in the state workforce.

“There may be more doctors who are infected, but from the information available to us, 16 of our members are infected with COVID-19.”

Continuing, he said, “The current community transmission of COVID-19 has led to a situation where everyone can be designated as a COVID suspect, especially as there are asymptomatic patients as well as those with atypical symptoms.”

He, however, said the infected doctors “are doing fine and we don’t have any mortality among our members.”

Speaking on the recent relaxation of the lockdown in the state, Sodipo called for prompt and widespread testing of suspected cases.

Meanwhile, three persons who are members of the Ondo State COVID-19 team have been reportedly infected with the deadly coronavirus disease.

The victims who included a driver and two casual health workers were among the recent cases discovered in the state. With the development, the cases in the state are still 13.

The state governor, Mr Rotimi Akeredolu, disclosed this yesterday while speaking with journalists at the Government House, Alagbaka, Akure, the state capital.

According to the governor, the trio contacted the disease in the course of saving people’s lives at the Infectious Disease Hospital in the state.

Akeredolu explained that the driver’s duty was to take the samples to test centres while the two casual health workers worked at the IDH.

While reiterating the commitment of the state government to ensure that the trio recovered from the disease, the governor said after their recovery, the three persons would be rewarded by the state government.

He said, “Both the driver who carries samples to Test Centres outside the state and the two casual workers in the wards took the highest risk in helping their fellow human beings. They are our heroes. To live in service of humanity in preserving social existence and continuity is perhaps the greatest sacrifice for mankind.

“These three individuals are junior workers in that establishment, yet their contributions are critical and very essential to all our operations to fight COVID–19. They faced the daily risks of worst dimension with candour. At the end, they are infected with the deadly virus.

“To further demonstrate our understanding and total commitment to supporting the frontline risk bearers, I have directed immediate absorption into the public service of the infected casual workers at the IDH.”

The governor also said he had approved that all the health workers in the state be paid 50 per cent of their consolidated basic salary as hazard allowance.

“All healthcare workers working directly in the Isolation Centre/Treatment Centre are to get additional 20 per cent of their 50 per cent as special risk allowance, they will also get a top-up lump sum from the funds of the Presidential Trust Fund at the amount yet to be determined,” the governor added.

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