Home treatment will worsen and increase infections, NMA, nurses warn Nigerians ‌

According to "PUNCH": The Nigerian Medical Association and the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives on Sunday cautioned the Federal  Government against treating COVID-19 patients at home.















The NMA and the NANNM, in separate interviews with The PUNCH, said the implementation of home treatment in Nigeria, where the majority of the infected people lived in crowded houses would create problems for the country.
















The NMA specifically said patients, who would be treated  in households with a large number of people might infect others, thus increasing COVID-19 cases in the country.













The Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, at its press briefing on April 30, had said the Federal Government was considering treating some COVID-19 patients at home.














The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control  Director General, Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu, who disclosed this at the press briefing, said the country had only about 3,500 bed spaces for COVID-19 management.














“We are now trying to make more bed spaces available, but ultimately we might have to change our strategy and start considering homecare in certain circumstances where patients are able to provide rooms for their own management,” he said.















As of Saturday, there were 4,151 COVID-19 cases in Nigeria, with  3,278 of them still active and 745 discharged. No fewer than 128 people have died of the highly infectious virus.
















According to the World Health Organisation’s guidelines  sent to one of our correspondents by the NMA President, Dr Francis  Faduyile,   all laboratory confirmed cases should be isolated and cared for in a health care facility.
















The WHO explained that where isolation in a health facility was not possible for all cases, emphasis should be given to patients with severe and critical illnesses as well as mild illnesses such as “uncomplicated upper respiratory tract viral infection symptoms.

















The WHO added, “If all mild cases cannot be isolated in health facilities, then those with mild illnesses and no risk factors may need to be isolated in non-traditional facilities, such as repurposed hotels, stadiums or gymnasiums where they can remain until their symptoms resolve and laboratory tests for COVID-19 virus are negative. Alternatively, patients with mild disease and no risk factors can be managed at home.

















“For those presenting with mild illness, hospitalisation may not be possible because of the burden on the health care system, or required unless there is concern about rapid deterioration.”