The University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan is having its fair share of the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic as it has been discovered that some of its doctors, nurses and health workers are either managing the virus or going on isolation.
The increasing exposure of the health workers to contracting COVID-19 is linked to an increase in the number of people storming the UCH with COVID-19 symptoms in recent days.
Some consultants, medical practitioners of clinical departments, nonclinical departments, administrative units are said to be asymptomatic and managing the virus while working, while those confirmed positive are advised to isolate themselves.
It was gathered that some nurses in some departments had near-death experiences from contracting the virus.
Some staff of the UCH fingered in-patients and out-patients for constantly exposing them to COVID-19 by not telling the truth about their state of health.
Rather than isolate and seek treatment, members of the outside community are said to only report their status when it gets severe thereby increasing the tendency to infecting people who come their way.
Aside from people not reporting to the hospital early if they observe COVID-19 symptoms, the cases are said to be spreading due to people’s non-adherence to protocols of wearing facemasks, avoiding gatherings, maintaining distance and regular washing of hands.
A staff of the UCH warned against non-adherence to COVID-19 protocols, noting that the current COVID-19 strain was more deadly and quick to kill.
Speaking with the Nigerian Tribune on the situation, Public Relations Officer, UCH, Toye Akinrinlola said the increasing rate of people being infected with COVID-19 was not peculiar to the UCH but was global.
He added that doctors, nurses, health workers of UCH, took precautions and are asked to go on isolation when confirmed positive for COVID-19.
Though he did not give a number of doctors and other health workers that are currently dealing with the virus, Akinrinlola said the hospital only had six in-patients that are confirmed COVID-19 positive.
To curtail the spread, he said the hospital had begun enforcing the wearing of facemasks by everyone visiting and does not hesitate to drive back those found without facemasks.
This is as he added that the hospital decontaminates its environment twice a week.
Akinrinlola said, “The rate is getting higher everywhere in the country. We have six in-patients that are confirmed and we have two centres for confirmed patients and another ward dedicated for suspected cases.
“It is a general public all over the world and we had the NMA scream two weeks ago. In our case, everybody is conscious; we are taking adequate measures to protect ourselves.
“If any medical practitioner, a health worker is confirmed positive, they go on isolation. You may be asymptomatic and still be positive. If you don’t exhibit any of the symptoms, you still can take care of yourself in isolation and not necessarily be held in the ward.
“The spread is not UCH; it is global but we are taking measures. We have started enforcing wearing facemasks. If you are a visitor to the hospital and you are not wearing a facemask, we will drive you back.
“We check our clinics and if you don’t have any business being in our hospitals, we drive you back. If you are with a patient and not taking precautionary measures, as stipulated by NCDC, we drive you out of the hospital.
“We want to ensure that people who don’t have direct business with the hospital don’t come in; and when you are here, you must comply with the COVID-19 precautionary measures.
“Since the COVID-19 started, we decontaminate our environment at least twice a week. We have a mechanized fumigator that goes around. We do that very regularly.”
