Chinese Doctors: We Will Hold President Buhari Responsible If Coronavirus Situation Gets Worse- CUPP

Chinese Presiden

.....says The Move Is A Direct Expression Of Loss Of Confidence In Nigeria Doctors, Others

Abuja- Following the plan by federal government to import Chinese doctors to help combat the spread of coronavirus in the country, the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) yesterday warned that they will hold President Muhammadu Buhari responsible if the situation gets worse.

The CUPP added that the move by the federal government is unnecessary, in bad faith and a direct expression of loss of confidence on Nigerian doctors and other frontline medical health workers, who have risked their lives daily despite the huge constraints and inadequacies they face to do a marvellous job of treating patients of the deadly virus with a very good success rate.

CUPP, in a statement by its spokesman, Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere said that rather than import Chinese doctors into the country, the government could have shown support to the Nigerian doctors by providing adequate and sufficient Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for them to ensure they are safe while doing their job.

Asking the presidency, why did the government not work with the Nigeria Medical and Dental Council in line with the provisions of the law before coming to the ill-timed decision to import Chinese doctors, the Coalition noted that there were reports of doctors and other health workers in the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, University of Ibadan Teaching Hospital, Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital and the Obafemi Awoloowo University Teaching Hospital to mention but a few already dangerously exposed to patients who have tested positive for the COVID-19.

CUPP said: “The Nigeria Dental and Medical Council Act provides that the council must be made aware and grant approvals before such steps are taken by government to bring in foreign medical doctors into the country to see Nigerian patients. We stand with the Nigerian Medical Association that has rejected this move and indeed all Nigerians should reject the move NOW.”

“The arrival of Chinese doctors in Italy unfortunately coincided with the spike in the contracting and death rate in that country, which made it to soon be the country with the most deaths. It could be a mere coincidence, but since the spike, what have these Chinese doctors done to improve situations in Italy with the thousands of deaths that have occurred since then.

“The Nigeria Medical Association did not ask for the help neither are we aware that the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control made a request for the Chinese doctors. The Director General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control did not also claim that he did not get adequate experience from his recent visit to China.

“If the President had shut our air and land border on time, the Italian and other index cases would not have landed. Or if the President enforced mandatory 14 days quarantine for all passengers from high risk countries, the cases of community transmission being currently witnessed now would not be the case.

“The self-isolation policy employed by government was weak, unserious and lack of concern for the health of Nigerians. The President has since run under his bed for fear of contracting the disease. The President loves power and not the responsibility that comes with holding power,” the Coalition said.

The CUPP cautioned the federal government to keep the Chinese doctors away from the country and support the health workers with equipment, test kit, contact tracing logistics and sustainable hunger fighting palliative and not the share-to-a-few joke called social intervention palliative by the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs Disaster Management and Social Development.

“Let the world hear us clearly, Nigerians do not need the Chinese doctors’ physical presence. There are technological means like tele-conferencing, skype and all other types of video calls in use in the medical field where doctors thousands of kilometres away are consulted to review and give expert advice on patients’ cases. Nigeria must leverage on such technology at this time.

“Nigerians will have no options but to hold the President personally responsible if he forces these Chinese doctors on citizens and the situation gets worse or there are messy reports about unapproved action by the doctors. The President is the only head of State in the whole world who has holed up and hidden inside Presidential Villa since the virus outbreak. He is the only President who is not constantly selling hope and reassurance to citizens and he is the only President in the world who is not recognizing the near suicidal efforts of their country’s health workers to contain this pandemic.

“What incentives has the President provided for our health workers? Has he even said the words ‘Thank You’ to these life savers? Has the President called on citizens to appreciate them? Rather he passes a vote of no confidence on them with an ill-timed, thoughtless and morale dampening move to bring in Chinese doctors.

“If he wants the Chinese doctors for himself and his family in the Villa like he has always sought foreign medical treatment, that is his problem but for Nigerians, we are comfortable with the work of Nigerian doctors like we have always been and we will resist anyone who wants to ridicule their good works,” the CUPP said.

The Coalition added that the presidency must ensure that when their doctors come for them, they must be compulsorily isolated for the mandatory 14 days to be sure they will not carry a different strain of the disease into the country.

“Mr President, every good thing you touch goes bad. Please leave Nigerian doctors alone to continue their good work,” the CUPP warned.