By Joyce Remi-Babayeju
The Nigerian Medical Association, NMA has condemned the burning of health facilities, looting and vandalisation of medical and hospital supplies , consumables and vaccines by hoodlums seeking COVID- 19 palliatives. In a press statement signed by the NMA President, Professor Innocent Uja and the Secretary, Dr. Phillips Uche Ekpe, the association described attacks on health facilities as barbaric, primitive and wanton destruction capable of endangering the health of Nigerians and an irredeemable negative impact on the health system which may have long term effects on human being s and the environment. The association said, ” we were shocked at the magnitude of the reported looting and vandalisation of of health facilities , hospital equipment, vaccines , drugs and consumables as well as the assaults on our members who were in line of duty in Lagos, Ebonyi, Delta, Edo, Cross River , Kaduna, Nasarawa and Ekiti States.” “The unfortunate action by the hoodlums will further weaken the delivery of health services as Nigeria continues to fight the COVID-19 pandemic in an already near comatose health system and will certainly be a setback on our country’s dearie to achieve the Universal Health Coverage and Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs. “The NMA further called on those who looted the medicaments and hospital equipment to return them as some can be harmful to the human body. It noted that the vaccines carted away are meant to prevent diseases but that action by the hoodlums may lead to a resurgence of vaccine preventable diseases. It therefore urged those in possession of the looted vaccines to return them to health facilities for revalidation for possible use, adding that no attack on any health facility and personnel is tolerated in any civilized society.
The association appealed to protesters and hoodlums to stop further destructions of health facilities and urged security agency’s need to strengthen their efforts in protection of lives and property of Nigerians.
