Only COVID-19 patients appear to be getting attention of Nigeria’s health system, while people with other medical conditions are left to their own devices.
This is the conclusion of some Nigerians on the heightened attention given to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Nigerians raised the alarm that the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the response to other medical conditions.
According to a News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) report, the Nigerians urged the relevant stakeholders to intervene in ensuring that other diseases are giving the desired attention.
Madam Alice Adesua, a lady living with a medical condition, said that the government and other related agencies should always consider the implication on the neglect of other diseases.
“Government should have a rethink over this because most people that were affected with the virus and lost their lives are with one underlying ailment or the other.
“As a result of this, one can now consider the number of people that are being affected with HIV and AIDS, diabetics, hepatitis, tuberculosis and other ailments, which must not be neglected.
“You can imagine the number of people at the grassroots that are affected with other medical conditions without adequate attention and treatments for them’’ she said.
A patient at the Asokoro General Hospital, Abuja, said on condition of anonymity that the outbreak of COVID-19 had affected his tuberculosis treatment at the hospital because according to him, he is not getting adequate attention.
He said that it was unfortunate that attention of the medical personnel had been diverted from the fight against tuberculosis and other ailments to COVID-19.
Also, Mr Kadiri Omitowoju, a resident of Abuja, said that the government ought to create an environment where other ailments could be given adequate response.
Omitowoju emphasized that the government need to invest in the management of the over-all wellness of citizens.
He noted that in view of the pandemic, government at all levels should henceforth give adequate priority to the health sector in terms of competent health workers that would ensure supervision of the sector.
Mrs Abike Ojuawo, another resident of Abuja, noted that she was diabetic and since the outbreak of COVID-19, her hospital had not been doing enough to give her adequate attention, as most focus had been on COVID-19.
She advised that hospital managements must be alert and open to new ways of delivering and receiving healthcare.
Mrs Maureen Ogbona, a young mother, noted that the government should not allow the situation to get worsen as the pandemic had taken toll and interruptions in routine immunisation services in many hospitals.
She said government must act fast and do all things possible within its powers to prevent children from becoming victims of this development due to inability to access vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles, cough and diarrhea, among others.
Ogbona said there had been interruptions in routine immunisation services at almost all the government hospitals for the fear of contacting COVID-19.
She said that catch-up measures must be taken as quickly as possible and new and innovative ways of reaching nursing mothers to ensure that most children would not miss their immunization.
Ogbona, however, advised mothers to always make adequate efforts in ensuring that they catch up as quickly as possible for every single dosage that they missed and to protect their babies from diseases that are preventable.
Most of them therefore called on government to strengthen all the health sector as it has strengthened the COVID-19 response with the volunteer programme that has brought additional hands on deck.
The spread of novel Corona Virus Disease (COVID-19) in Nigeria continues to record significant increase as the latest statistics provided by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) reveal that Nigeria has 33,153 confirmed cases.
Out of this, 13,671 cases have been discharged and 744 deaths have been recorded in 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
A total of 183,294 tests have been carried out as of July 13.(NAN)