Governor Nyesom Wike, on Monday, described the claims by the Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, Rivers State chapter that 82 health workers have contracted covid-19 in the state as misleading for reasons best known to the medical body.
The had on Friday revealed that about 22 frontline doctors and 60 other health workers have tested positive for COVID-19 in the state.
Dr Obelebra Adebiyi, the chairperson of the state’s NMA, stated this during a chat with newsmen, stressing that the health workers lack basic personal protective equipment to work.
But Wike faults the claims, saying, “As key stakeholders who are supposed to partner the State Government in fighting the pandemic, I am alarmed that NMA has become the people creating panic. I am more surprised that the Branch chairman who made the claim is not only a civil servant, but she heads an Isolation Center in the state.
“I’ve given everything required for the fight the pandemic, within available resources in Rivers. She is talking about the increase in health hazard allowances for medical workers. Does it mean they will not be infected with the increment? COVID-19 respects no one.
“We just lost a SAN, a very close friend. Nobody expected that to happen. The number she (Rivers NMA Chairman) gave is totally not correct. And she talked about increasing infections, but we all know that when you are doing more testing numbers are bound to increase.
“Everybody knows what we are suffering on sabotage of our borders. NMA did not say how the sabotage is thwarting our efforts. The NMA chairman has joined politics.
“There’s is more to it than meets the eye over her statements. I welcome her to the political arena. I hope she will be able to stand, carrying propaganda, stories that Re not correct.”
