TheCable

President Muhammadu Buhari has commiserated with the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) over the loss of 20 doctors who died recently of COVID-19 complications.

Enema Amodu, chairman of the NMA in the federal capital territory (FCT), had said, at a media briefing on Friday, that 20 doctors died of coronavirus complications within the past seven days amid the second wave of infections.

Amodu also called on the government to ensure adequate supply of personal protective equipment (PPEs) to health workers.

According to a statement by Garba Shehu, the president’s spokesman, Buhari affirmed that health workers in Nigeria are operating under “severe limitations”, but promised to ensure a better working environment for them.

“Our health workers are making maximum sacrifices for the country in line with their humanitarian calling, and this administration will leave no stone unturned in order to ensure their needs are met,” Buhari was quoted to have said in the statement issued on Saturday.

“Our health workers are operating under severe limitations, but they are undeterred in discharging their duties in saving lives.

“Let me say without any fear of contradiction that no reward is too much for the sacrifices of our health workers in the country, and this administration will give their welfare the priority it deserves.”

Nigeria has lost quite a number of health workers to COVID-19, including Chugbo Emeka in Lagos, Kate Okpa in Cross River, Anweh Damian in Benue, and Matthias Nnadi, a consultant neurosurgeon at the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH), Cross River state.