*Decries rise in maternal, child mortality due to disruption
in essential services
The Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 has warned that it
is not giving out contracts, advising the public to beware of
fraudsters parading fake contract papers.
The task force expressed concern about the steady rise in
maternal and child mortality as a result of disrupted essential
services.
PTF Coordinator Dr Sani Aliyu gave the warning at the task
force’s daily briefing on Thursday.
‘I wanted to again inform the public that the PTF has not been
giving out contracts. The PTF is not a procurement body. We
understand that a lot of fraudulent letters going around trying to
sell contracts to members of the public. So, buyers, beware. We are
not signing any contracts on behalf of the PTF,’ he said.
On the rise in maternal and child mortality, Dr Aliyu said: ‘We
have been observing a steady rise in maternal and child mortality
as a result of disrupted essential services. We have also seen
life-saving, maternal, newborn and child, health services, routine
vaccinations, access to care for chronic conditions such as HIV and
other treatments not being delivered in our hospitals.
‘We are also seeing the diversion of certain products like
second-line HIV drugs, for instance, an antiretroviral that’s being
used for HIV treatment and that’s currently being used for COVID
infection and as mentioned by the DG NCDC.
‘We are asking health institutions to make sure that they have
proper assessment processes for people presenting with possible
COVID; they must have holding areas and screening areas so that
their staff can protect themselves and at the same time be able to
deliver care.
‘Hospitals are there to look after patients, hospitals are not
there to turn patients back, people should not be allowed to suffer
or die because of COVID infection.
‘We must not allow preventable deaths to occur in our
communities simply because of COVID or because we are afraid of
it,’ the PTF Coordinator stated.
Dr Aliyu also assured that the PTF will continue to ensure
health workers are protected, as he reminded hospitals that they
are there to treat patients, not turn them down.
‘I would like to briefly talk about the impact of COVID-19 on
our health services, both in terms of the quality and also access
to care.
‘As you’re aware, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the
whole world has engaged in an unprecedented response against this
virus and against the disease and quite rightly too.
‘However, as a result of this, we are seeing a situation where
health services are not concentrating on other health conditions.
If anything, the emergence of COVID-19 has led to the detriment in
terms of care for other Essential Health Services and this negative
impact included a reduction in health services that could arise
from disruptions in medical supply chains or the availability of
human and financial resources. Also, there is a decline in people
accessing healthcare, simply because of the fear of getting
affected by COVID-19.
‘We’ve also seen reduced access to health care for medical
diagnosis of other conditions and for the most vulnerable
populations, like children, the elderly and those with underlying
illnesses such as diabetes.
‘As I’ve said in the past if you have a fever today in Nigeria,
it’s more likely it’s going to be due to malaria than due to COVID
infection and people need to be able to access care.
‘The PTF will continue to protect the health and safety of
health workers both in the public as well as the private sector. We
are appealing to the private sector facilities to make sure they
have adequate PPE to protect their staff.
‘From the government side and from PTF we will continue to
engage with the private sector to train them on infection control
processes. But PPE will primarily be given to public hospitals and
to other frontline workers.
‘We expect private facilities to make adequate arrangements for
their own PPE. If they are having difficulty accessing this, they
should please get in touch with us and we can point them in the
right direction,’ he said.
Dr Aliyu urged Nigerians to learn to live with the new realities
of COVID-19, saying ‘we are still far off from the permanent
solution to the pandemic such as the availability of a vaccine.
‘All of us must take responsibility in protecting ourselves and
others by adhering to the health protocols and lockdown guidelines
while we go about our lives in this what we call the “new normal”
because, post-COVID, things will not be the same.’
*Decries rise in maternal, child mortality due to disruption
in essential services
The Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 has warned that it
is not giving out contracts, advising the public to beware of
fraudsters parading fake contract papers.
The task force expressed concern about the steady rise in
maternal and child mortality as a result of disrupted essential
services.
PTF Coordinator Dr Sani Aliyu gave the warning at the task
force’s daily briefing on Thursday.
‘I wanted to again inform the public that the PTF has not been
giving out contracts. The PTF is not a procurement body. We
understand that a lot of fraudulent letters going around trying to
sell contracts to members of the public. So, buyers, beware. We are
not signing any contracts on behalf of the PTF,’ he said.
On the rise in maternal and child mortality, Dr Aliyu said: ‘We
have been observing a steady rise in maternal and child mortality
as a result of disrupted essential services. We have also seen
life-saving, maternal, newborn and child, health services, routine
vaccinations, access to care for chronic conditions such as HIV and
other treatments not being delivered in our hospitals.
‘We are also seeing the diversion of certain products like
second-line HIV drugs, for instance, an antiretroviral that’s being
used for HIV treatment and that’s currently being used for COVID
infection and as mentioned by the DG NCDC.
‘We are asking health institutions to make sure that they have
proper assessment processes for people presenting with possible
COVID; they must have holding areas and screening areas so that
their staff can protect themselves and at the same time be able to
deliver care.
‘Hospitals are there to look after patients, hospitals are not
there to turn patients back, people should not be allowed to suffer
or die because of COVID infection.
‘We must not allow preventable deaths to occur in our
communities simply because of COVID or because we are afraid of
it,’ the PTF Coordinator stated.
Dr Aliyu also assured that the PTF will continue to ensure
health workers are protected, as he reminded hospitals that they
are there to treat patients, not turn them down.
‘I would like to briefly talk about the impact of COVID-19 on
our health services, both in terms of the quality and also access
to care.
‘As you’re aware, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the
whole world has engaged in an unprecedented response against this
virus and against the disease and quite rightly too.
‘However, as a result of this, we are seeing a situation where
health services are not concentrating on other health conditions.
If anything, the emergence of COVID-19 has led to the detriment in
terms of care for other Essential Health Services and this negative
impact included a reduction in health services that could arise
from disruptions in medical supply chains or the availability of
human and financial resources. Also, there is a decline in people
accessing healthcare, simply because of the fear of getting
affected by COVID-19.
‘We’ve also seen reduced access to health care for medical
diagnosis of other conditions and for the most vulnerable
populations, like children, the elderly and those with underlying
illnesses such as diabetes.
‘As I’ve said in the past if you have a fever today in Nigeria,
it’s more likely it’s going to be due to malaria than due to COVID
infection and people need to be able to access care.
‘The PTF will continue to protect the health and safety of
health workers both in the public as well as the private sector. We
are appealing to the private sector facilities to make sure they
have adequate PPE to protect their staff.
‘From the government side and from PTF we will continue to
engage with the private sector to train them on infection control
processes. But PPE will primarily be given to public hospitals and
to other frontline workers.
‘We expect private facilities to make adequate arrangements for
their own PPE. If they are having difficulty accessing this, they
should please get in touch with us and we can point them in the
right direction,’ he said.
Dr Aliyu urged Nigerians to learn to live with the new realities
of COVID-19, saying ‘we are still far off from the permanent
solution to the pandemic such as the availability of a vaccine.
‘All of us must take responsibility in protecting ourselves and
others by adhering to the health protocols and lockdown guidelines
while we go about our lives in this what we call the “new normal”
because, post-COVID, things will not be the same.’