- Says using hand sanitisers with less 60 per cent alcohol is useless
The Federal Government has said that asides deaths caused by underlying illnesses, available statistics show that most COVID-19 fatalities recorded are as a result of adopting home-based solutions before seeking medical intervention.
The Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, who made this known on Tuesday in Abuja, revealed that not only do these home-based solutions complicate the situation but more disappointing is that most people engaging this approach for treating COVID-19 are educated and well-to-do Nigerians.
He therefore, urged citizens to seek medical attention once they notice that they have started to develop symptoms of the virus.
Speaking during the daily briefing of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, Ehanire said: “1,644 patients have been treated and discharged from care, but we have sadly recorded 191 deaths in 26 states and the FCT.
“Even though this figure seems low compared to other countries, a disturbing picture emerging from statistics is that not only are most fatalities observed to be linked with preexisting diseases, many are educated, well-to-do people, who chose home-based care, where they develop sudden complication and have to be rushed to hospital.
“Experience is showing that breathing complications in COVID-19 patients can arise with little or no notice. This is an added reason why all persons should seek medical attention when they test positive.
“Also, we do not at any points support self-medication, and if you hear that anybody is taking self-medication at any time, it is definitely something prescribed by his or her doctor. There are medicines that should not be in your hands normally unless they are prescribed by the doctor.
“There is a study being done about the efficacy of some drugs by five centres in our country and hydroxyl chloroquine is one of them. When the result comes out I will share with you. But again, stay with what your doctor has prescribed and do not start self-medicating otherwise you can do serious harm to your own self.”
He further added: “A Ministerial Task Team led by a Director of the Federal Ministry of Health arrived Calabar yesterday, Monday 18th May to interact with Cross River State Ministry of Health. They were well received and have had useful meetings with State Government officials, medical directors of Federal Health Institutions in the state and traditional rulers.
“The team is made up of experts of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), the Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC), the Dept. of Hospital Services, Dept. of Public Health and Dept. of Family Health; each with terms of reference to work with relevant State officials to review and evaluate present status and needs of Cross River State.
“The Ministerial Task Team to Kano reported improvements in the processes and indices of Kano, and also of strategies to control increasing cases of COVID-19 infection in the entire region, by ramping up testing, isolation and case management capabilities.
“The team also paid a fact finding visit to Bornu State yesterday and made recommendations on supporting the strategy there. Viral infectious disease experts from Federal Teaching Hospital Irrua are supporting the State initiatives with hands-on training and confidence building of Health care workers.”
Concerning what to look out for before buying a hand sanitizer, Ehnaire said: “You must see that it contains a minimum of 60 percent alcohol. If it is anything different from that, that sanitizer will not do the job you think it is doing. So, look for the label, and the ingredients must be displayed.
“If there is no ingredient displayed, then it is not for you. Sometimes the alcohol level in the ingredients might be up to 70 percent which is good.”
The Nation
