• Minority Reps reject Chinese doctorsDespite opposition
by the Nigerian Medical Association, the visiting 15-member medical team
from China will arrive the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja,
on a chattered Air Peace aircraft on Wednesday (today).
The
personnel, who are experts in infectious diseases, respiratory illness,
intensive care, cardiology, neurology, general surgery and
anesthesiology, will be coming with their drugs, and equipment to carry
out COVID-19 tests on the staff of the China Civil Engineering
Construction Corporation in the country.
The Executive Director,
CCECC, Mr Jacques Liao, said in a statement in Abuja on Tuesday, that
the medical team would be coming with 16-ton test kits, ventilators,
disinfection machine, disposable medical masks, drugs, infrared
thermometer and other items ordered by the Federal Government.
Liao
dispelled what he described as the controversy about the team’s visit,
stating that “the primary purpose of the team is to provide CECC
employees with critical and necessary healthcare.”
He added, “All
members of the working team have tested negative for COVID-19 and shall
commence their stay in Nigeria by spending 14 days in quarantine.
“The
primary purpose of the team is to provide CCECC employees with critical
and necessary health care assistance. They are also coming with
adequate personal protective equipment and medical items for the
employees.”
The director explained that under the directive of
the Embassy of China in Nigeria and in response to the Federal
Government’s request, the team may also share with their Nigerian
counterparts effective methods on COVID-19 containment.
Liao
explained that in keeping with CCECC’s corporate value, ‘stride with
Nigeria,’ the firm would be participating in the construction of two
COVID-19 response facilities in the Federal Capital Territory for free.
Meanwhile,
the Minority Caucus of the House of Representatives has rejected the
decision of the Federal Government to bring in Chinese doctors and
nurses to assist in tackling the coronavirus pandemic.
The
lawmakers on Tuesday said the decision to bring in people from “the
hotbed of the plague” was not in Nigeria’s best interest. They urged the
Federal Government to suspend the plan.
Their position was
contained in a statement signed by the House Minority Leader, Ndudi
Elumelu (PDP, Delta), in Abuja, on Tuesday.
Elumelu said the
caucus wanted the Federal Government to rescind its decision to import
doctors from the “hotbed of the plague into our country at this critical
time.”
The statement read in part, “The lawmakers note that
Nigerian doctors and nurses are doing well so far in managing the
scourge, and express fears that bringing in Chinese medical personnel,
whose status, intentions and scope cannot be easily ascertained and
controlled is totally against our national interest.
“The Federal
Government should note the apprehensions of Nigerians and professional
bodies including the Nigeria Medical Association over the decision. The
caucus notes that this is particularly after alleged escalation of the
pandemic in certain countries after Chinese doctors were reportedly
involved, in addition to widespread trepidations over the safety of
medical equipment and kits from China at this point in time.
“At
such critical time, the safety and wellbeing of our citizens must be
paramount and anything that is capable of further jeopardising their
lives must be avoided.”
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