NMA trains Anambra doctors, health workers on infection prevention, control
The Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) will train no fewer than 25 doctors in Anambra on Infection Prevention and Control (IPC).
Dr Jide Onyekwelu, Chairman of Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), Anambra said on Friday that the two day training billed for Aug 18 and Aug. 19 was part of the training the trainers programme of the association for members in the state.
Onyekwelu said the 25 doctors selected from the five NMA zones in Anambra would in turn train their colleagues such that the state would have no fewer than 625 specially trained doctors after the second round of the training.
He said the state NMA had set up a Task Force Committee chaired by Dr Jane Ezeonu, a Public Health Physician, who would facilitate appropriate response towards COVID-19 IPC including training of doctors and other health workers on hazard mitigation.
According to Onyekwelu the objectives, IPC taskforce as set up by Anambra NMA was to raise a team of 25 trained doctors spread over the five zones in Anambra State who will subsequently step down the training in their various zones.
He said the team would also provide the healthcare workers with PPEs and to establish COVID-19 screening centers in the five zones of Awka, Onitsha, Nnewi, Aguata and Ihiala
“The capacity building will help the doctors and health care workers protect themselves in the battle against COVID-19 and ultimately lead to the containment of the disease.
“Doctors and other health workers are at the front line in the containment of this disease, as at August 6, about 1,027 doctors in Nigeria had been exposed to COVID-19.
“319 cases had been confirmed, 63 recovered and 14 had died, this statistics is disturbing.
“We appreciate the Hon Commissioner for Health in Anambra, Dr Vincent Okpala, for accepting to flag off this initiative at Golden Tulip Agulu and also appreciate our partners; the ICRC for sponsoring the project and NCDC for facilitating it,” he said.
Onyekwelu said arrangement have been concluded with the ICRC to supply PPE to treatment centers in the State including Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital Awka, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Medical Center and Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi.
