How coronavirus endangers healthcare workers, by NHIS boss

Abia State declares escapee positive case wanted

EXECUTIVE Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme ( NHIS), Professor Mohammed Sambo, has lamented that healthcare workers are becoming endangered by the Covid- 19 pandemic, as many health facilities across the country are being deserted.

Worried by the high number of frontline workers infected with the coronavirus, the NHIS has provided Personal Protective Equipment ( PPES) to the Nigeria Police to enable officers to effectively combat COVID- 19.

Presenting the items to the Inspector General of Police ( IGP) at the Police Clinic, in Abuja, Sambo stressed the need to ensure the protection of healthcare workers in all the facilities to ensure effective service delivery and reduce infections in the country.

Sambo noted that the Presidential Taskforce on COVID- 19 ( PTF) had asked the NHIS to support security agencies with PPES, adding that the agency procured PPES for the police being a frontline non- health sector group in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic. He listed the donated items as, 125 pieces of infrared themometer, 250 packs of disposable masks, 240 packs of N95 face masks, 500 packs of hand gloves, 500 pieces of original protective suits, 120 pieces of decontamination spray pumps.

He noted that the Police force was the biggest organisation that has partnered with the NHIS and under the scheme the Police has its maintenance structure.

Meanwhile, the Abia State Government has declared one Emmanuel Ononiwu wanted for refusal to submit himself for screening and isolation after testing positive for COVID- 19.