– Steve Ovirih.
The alleged plan of the Federal Government to import medical experts from China to Nigeria in order to provide expatriate assistance towards curbing the novel coronavirus has hit the brick wall. The minority caucus of the House of Representatives rising from a meeting earlier on Tuesday the 7th of April asked the government to put a halt to the plan as they cannot guarantee the safety of Nigerians in the hands of the Chinese medical personnel. Leader of the minority caucus of the House of Representatives, Hon. Ndudi Elumelu said there is no proof that China from where the virus was spread to other part of the world had cured completely of the index cases of the virus and even if she has, the government should not be unmindful of the fact that provision of aids , kits and personnel by this same country to Italy jerked up the index case of the virus in Italy.
He said the caucus hold in suspect any assistance from China and rather than rely on help from China, government should rather show confidence in the credible efforts of Nigerian medical personnel to curb the spread of the virus.
The House of Representatives minority caucus in a clear message charged the Federal Government to be considerate of the plight of the masses who have already been locked down , stressing that should there be a full blown coronavirus contagion in Nigeria after the arrival of the Chinese medics , it will be concluded that Government has not been discretionary in their expression of commitment and concern for the governed.
Nigeria Medical Association speaking through its national President, Prof. Dayo Faduyile said NMA rejects any offer of medical aid from China. Prof Faduyile described the gesture as embarrassing, noting that one would have expected the Minister of Health to consult with the body of Medical Doctors in Nigeria on such important issue but no consultation was done. He said it is okay for the Federal Government to continue like the doctors’ body is not important , but it is not okay for the body polity for government to plan to bring in foreign medical doctors without a recourse to the rules of the medical and dental practice in Nigeria.
He noted that so far Nigerian doctors have been able to stabilize the health sector in this period of the coronavirus infection as members of NMA all over the country have braced up to the herculean task of applying the best expertise of their medical practice to curb the rise of the index cases of the virus as well as nipping in the bud a community spread of the coronavirus disease.
Prof. Faduyile said NMA is not aware of such thing as bringing Chinese Medical personnel to the country, and that if federal government is planning any of such thing the body will not support such because countries that have allowed Chinese medical assistance have been the worst for it.
