The speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gabajabiamila, yesterday asked the federal government to quarantine the invited 18-team of Chinese medical doctors for 14 days on their arrival.
He said this in Abuja at a meeting between the leadership of the house and the Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire and the Minister of State for Health, Olorunnimbe Mamora.
The Nigerian Medical Association, the Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria and the Trade Union Congress had rejected the plan to invite the Chinese medical experts.
Gbajabiamila said: “There are a lot of complaints about why we are bringing in Chinese doctors. It is incumbent on us, as lawmakers, to intervene, following the concerns of our constituents to understand the issues and get the right information to them.
“Having listened to you, what we’re taking away from this meeting is that Nigeria needs this intervention from the Chinese, but you’ve to make it mandatory that they observe all the protocols laid down for the disease.
“As you explained that they won’t have direct contact with Nigerian patients, you’ve to make sure that they go through our official immigration laws, they’ve to get work permit waivers because they’re coming here to work.
“Also, they’ve to be quarantined for 14 days as stipulated by the protocol, and you’ve to educate Nigerians about this to avoid misconceptions. We have laws and they must be complied with.”
Mamora said the Chinese doctors were expected to help in setting up molecular laboratories in Nigeria as well as upgrade and reconfigure existing ones.
Meanwhile, The Secretary to the Government of the Federation and Chairman, Presidential Taskforce Force on COVID-19, Boss Mustapha, yesterday in Abuja at the sixth joint national briefing said the Chinese medical experts were only coming to share experiences and train Nigeria’s medical personnel.
“They’re not accredited and cannot practice, but only coming to share their experiences. As a matter of fact, they’re in the best position of experience, since the pandemic started from their side and they were able to contain its spread. Thus, they’re only coming to share their experiences and also train some of our medical personnel,” he said.
He said the invited Chinese were public health specialists and medical engineers that would support Nigeria’s capacity in managing the pandemic on advisory basis when necessary, while drawing from their experiences.
Speaking on the restriction on Lagos, Ogun and FCT which was in its seventh day, the SGF said reports from the committee assessment showed substantial compliance in these places.
He said the committee would prepare a full assessment by the end of the week in order to advise Mr. President on the next step to take before the expiration of the 14-day lockdown.
The Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire, said the Chinese medical experts were expected to arrive Nigeria in a few days with a consignment of globally scarce medical supplies to augment government efforts and build capacity to contain the COVID-19 outbreak.
He said the donation by Chinese Companies in Nigeria included personal protective equipment, medical consumables, over one million surgical masks for health workers and even ICU ventilators valued at over $100,000, all sourced in the face of global scarcity of these items.
He said the government had identified additional treatment centres in the country and was working with the African Union to develop a continental response.
