Governors task health workers on oath to save lives

The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) has urged health workers to abide by their Hippocratic oath, which obliges them to first save lives before thinking of other things, particularly during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Chairman of the forum and Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi, who stated this in a communiqué after its seventh teleconference meeting, appealed to health bodies to always reach out to government for resolution of any perceived grievances.

He said the appeal became imperative after the governors received a presentation from health associations in the country, led by President of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Dr. Francis Adedayo Faduyile, President, Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), Sam Ohuabunwa and President, National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), Abdrafiu Adeniji.

Fayemi added that the bodies prayed for governors’ support in improving the working conditions of health workers at the frontline of the pandemic through the provision of adequate personal protective equipment (PPE) in all general hospitals and health facilities and training for health workers on infection prevention and control (IPC).

He said they also needed collaboration in the harmonisation of lockdown protocols, incentives such as hazard allowances and health insurance packages for health workers in the frontline and inclusion of senior health workers in the operations of State Emergency Operation Centres (EOCs).

The governor noted that members were committed to ensuring that PPEs were available in all general hospitals and health facilities.“And they are collaborating with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) to provide training to health workers, including their capacity to use telemedicine to strengthen infectious disease prevention and control and the use of PPEs to contain the spread of the virus among health workers.

“With regard to the rising cases of infection among health workers, state governments will engage their health workers to ensure that their safety and welfare are protected.

“Governors are concerned about the continued movement of persons across states despite the enforcement of inter-state lockdown. The Forum will collaborate with the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), state chapters of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) and local government officials to strengthen security surveillance along State borders,” he added.