It was an atmosphere filled with obvious apprehension and panic among health officials and some residents of Ikare Akoko, Oka Akoko and Ipe Akoko over the death of a suspected patient of coronavirus pandemic at government’s hospital, Ipe.
A reliable source at the hospital informed our correspondent that the suspected COVID-19 patient was first admitted at State Specialist Hospital (SSH), Ikare before he was transferred to less equipped General Hospital, Oka and later moved to General Hospital Ipe.
It was also learnt that all efforts made by family members of the deceased in the last few days to reach authorities to conduct test for the patient failed as officials of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) in Owo allegedly claimed there were no logistics to come down to Ipe General Hospital to pick the patient for test.
Our correspondent gathered that some of the health workers at those hospitals couldn’t ascertain the health status of the deceased until he died this morning, this has now been causing panic among them and residents.
One of the health officials confirmed the situation thus, “our Governmwnt is not serious about the padenmic, there was a suspected COVID-19 case in GH, Ipe-Akoko yesterday night who died about 2hrs after admission.
“Px (patient) came in unconscious with fever of 40 degree celcius, cough with grunting respiration, 52cpm. PX just discovered to be RVS reactive.
“We called NCDC (officials) in Owo (FMC) who promised to come this morning to collect sample but told us later this morning that they can’t come again due to logistics and we should release the corpse to the relatives,” the health worker said on the condition of anonymity.
“Imagine that, even the relatives that brought the patient yesterday were on gloves and mask, meaning they even suspected something.
“We couldn’t ascertain travel (record of the patient) as PX was unconscious and live alone. The suspicious thing was that they brought the patient from Ikare, leaving SSHx, Ikare, GH, Iwaro, to come to a remote area here, why?
“But NCDC decided not to do anything based on logistics which we don’t knw and advised us to release the corpse.
“Well, the PX was PCV 7%, RVS, chronic cough, and can be anytin, but this is a good suspected case of COVID, so why would NCDC just waive it away, meaning they must have been waiving other good cases (of COVID-19 patients) away too, Nigeria is a mess,” the source told our correspondent.
When contacted on telephone, the State Commissioner for Health, Dr Wahaab Adegbenro who confirmed the incident, however declared that it was not a case of Coronavirus as being rumoured.
He said the government could not disclose the ailment that killed the patient, adding that only the family has right to know his status that led to his death.
The only question that remains unanswered is how doesn’t the government get to the conclusion that he didn’t die of COVID-19.
Source:Sunshinetruth.com.ng
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