In an interview with PUNCH HealthWise, NARD president, Dr. Uyilawa Okhuaihesuyi, expressed concerns that health workers are still exposed to the disease transmission.

While stressing that the total number of infected physicians was a cumulative figure from the beginning of the pandemic till date, Okhuaihesuyi told our correspondent that the infection rate of the second wave was not as virulent as the first.

“That the infection rate and fatalities are not much in the second wave is also not down to any major factor. We just take precautions.

“As I speak, the resident doctors still have a challenge of inadequate Personal Protective Equipment, especially the N95,” he said.

The NARD president also noted that while 709 residents doctors have so far recovered from the contagion, about 16 of its members have died from complications of the virus.

NARD Secretary-General, Dr. Jerry Isogun, also warned that COVID-19 is not yet under control, even though the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 says the rate of infection has declined.

“It is not for us to be complacent. We must continue observing all the preventive measures put in place. For us, we cannot even say that we have enough PPE that we need.

“Things are not under control yet. But I think the situation is better than last December and early January. That notwithstanding, it is not uhuru yet,” he said.

So far, Nigeria has 152,616 confirmed cases of COVID-19, while 129,300 patients have been treated and discharged, with 1,862 deaths nationally.

source: Punch