By Mary Nnah
Since the World Health Organisation (WHO) in April 2020 declared the novel COVID-19 a global pandemic, the effect of the ravaging deadly virus has been overwhelming.
From fatalities to harsh economic realities, institutions across the globe and consequentially Africa, has been challenged to fix and update antiquated health systems and existing infrastructures to contain and combat the widespread of COVID-19.
The pandemic did not only engender global lockdown but also a meltdown of global economic activities, which resulted to huge losses in Nigeria’s major export of crude.
Consequently, this decline in economic activities led to drastic decline in accruing revenues from oil sale in oil-dependent nations like Nigeria, thereby plunging the country into economic recession.
The outbreak of the pandemic, which disseminated globally, became an eye-opener to the reality of how the world is interconnected beyond race, ethnicity and culture. This made it necessary for nations to take proactive measures to guard against being convulsed by upheavals.
However, in developing countries as Nigeria and others with the challenges of quality health care, constraints in infrastructural development poor health systems posed a far greater threat than the virus itself.
The pandemic exposed the age long vulnerability of Nigeria’s healthcare system without remedial steps to address them till date. From lack of basic equipment in hospitals, to lack of essential drugs in the shelves, epileptic power supply and poor remuneration of medical personnel, the deterioration had persisted. While countries have turned to dividends of long hard years of infrastructural development, Nigeria is a far cry from this benefit.
Looking back to 2020 and the effect of the pandemic in Nigeria, a few hospitals who sprang into action to combat the deadly COVID-19 was instrumental to the fight against the virus.
Health institutions like Paelon Memorial Hospital was one of the very few private hospitals accredited by the Lagos State Ministry of Health to provide care to people with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 infection, both on outpatient and inpatient basis.
Upon the outbreak in Nigeria and in less than two months, the hospital’s management led by Dr. Ngozi Onyia repurposed, equipped and converted one of its branches in Ikeja into an approved COVID-19 treatment centre with isolation units, special assistance, apt medical system, tests and treatments, emergency response services, and cultivated appropriate leadership measures, saving hundreds of lives.
According to Onyia, “Paelon’s prominent role in the management of Covid was fortuitous, which in turn increased the hospital’s visibility in the healthcare space, locally and internationally as they recorded a management of about 3000 patients.”
While the bulk of safekeeping and prevention rests in the responsibility of each individual, the management of the facility further extended its contributions to the fight through channels, such as conducting health webinars and infomercials to enable mass sensitisation of the public.
“It’s no wonder out of 1,985 previously assessed hospitals across Africa, in 2016, Paelon Memorial Hospital became the first hospital in Safe Care’s history to be awarded five stars. In 2020, the hospital was reassessed and re-awarded five stars as the first hospital in Africa and the only hospital in Nigeria to be awarded such recognition”, she noted further.
With a patient-centric approach to care and robust clinical governance, Paelon’s health care administration process has been implemented to ensure continuous quality improvement and the adherence to international standards for ethics and compliance. It also encourages better communication, prevention and social distancing in the country.
Paelon Memorial hospital has consistently shown initiative and great regard for human life as demonstrated in its reaction and dealing with the outbreak of the pandemic in Nigeria.
