The Nigerian Medical Association
(NMA) has described as ‘unfortunate
and condemnable,’ the continued
obstruction of the National Centre for
Disease Control (NCDC) by the
governments of Kogi and Cross River
State.
“This impedance is despite the lofty
provisions in the NCDC Establishment
Act (2018) which empower the
organization to “prevent, detect,
monitor and control” activities and
programs for the national response
against infectious diseases epidemics
and other public health emergencies;
and also to “lead, develop,
coordinate”, the NMA said in a
Saturday statement signed by its
President, Francis Faduyile.
Governments in both states, which are
the only two yet to confirm any case of
the virus, have been at loggerheads
with the NCDC and federal authorities
for discouraging COVID-19 testing and
not adhering to the national response
strategy.
Authorities in Kogi and Cross Rivers
believe there is a plot to compulsorily
report COVID-19 cases in the states but
medical experts and federal officials
said the low number of test samples
turned in from the states is making it
difficult to ascertain if they are actually
coronavirus-free.
The statement by the NMA followed an
earlier one in which it urged the
federal government to direct through
the Presidential Task Force (PTF) an
investigation into the COVID-19 free
status of Kogi and Cross Rivers.
The doctors said an investigation into
the status and response to the
coronavirus by the two states’
governments is in the interest of
safeguarding Nigeria’s public health,
and to recommend appropriate
remedial intervention if necessary, to
President Muhammadu Buhari.
In Saturday’s release, Mr Faduyile said
the situation requires urgent
intervention by the president.
Despite being surrounded by states
with confirmed cases of the virus, the
government in Kogi has at least once
scuttled efforts by the NCDC to
coordinate COVID-19 testing.
Last Thursday, a delegation comprising
officials of NCDC and the Department of Hospital
Services of the Federal Ministry of Health had to flee
the state for fear of being quarantined by the Kogi
State Government.
The NMA chapter in the North-central state had
expressed concern over the stance of the Kogi
government, warning that the consequences of not
testing people for the COVID-19 may be too
- enormous to deal with.
