TheCable

The Nasarawa state chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) says 102 health workers in the state contracted COVID-19.

Peter Umaru, the state NMA chairman, disclosed this in an interview with NAN on Thursday in Lafia, the Nasarawa capital.

Umaru and Peter Idoko, president of the Association of Resident Doctors (ARD), are among the infected health workers, but they have been discharged after testing negative, NAN reported.

According to the NMA chairman, 77 of the health workers are from public institutions, while 25 work in the private sector.

Giving a breakdown of the number according to local government area, he said 16 of the health workers are from Karu, 42 from Keffi, seven from Nasarawa-Eggon, and 37 from Lafia.

However, one of the infected persons has died.

Speaking on his recovery, Umaru thanked God for saving him, and commended the medical personnel and the management of Dalhatu Araf Specialist Hospital (DASH), Lafia, for their support during his treatment period.

He advised frontline health workers to always observe protective protocols while attending to patients, and urged the state government to ensure the safety of medical personnel who risk their lives in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic.

Hassan Ikrama, chief medical director of DASH, also expressed joy on the recovery of Umaru and Idoko, both of whom are staff members of DASH.

“We are really elated that they responded to treatment given to them by our medical team, and recovered speedily from the COVID-19,” Ikrama said.

“The truth is that most of our staff got infected from the community especially during the strike action.

“We wish to advise our staff to observe standard operating practice both at home and within the hospital to ensure they do not get infected.”

As of July 22, 2020, according to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), a total of 289 persons had been confirmed positive for COVID-19, out of which 113 recoveries and eight deaths have been recorded.