Healthcare workers working in Mainland Hospital, treating COVID-19 patients in an infectious disease facility in Yaba, Lagos have raised alarm over an alleged Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) shortage in the hospital.
They raised concerns that the shortage of medical equipment exposed them to the risk of contracting the virus.
A report in Punch Healthwise reported that the source who spoke with journalists on of anonymity laments the shortage of the medical equipment, saying it is the only assurance for the health workers.
He was worried about the lack of an N95 respirator mask, a protective suit, or a face shield for the health workers.
He said, “We no longer have the N95 mask that we can use at the isolation center at IDH, and that is the only reassurance for health workers,” the source said.
The source further accused the government of planning a new policy that will compel health workers at the hospital to use the common medical mask which is not proper for people attending to confirmed COVID-19 cases.
“They want to bring out a new policy, because if there is no N95, the next option is to use the normal blue medical mask that everyone wears on the street, and it is not proper for people attending to confirmed cases of COVID-19 to wear such a mask.
“Now, health workers are breaking down and coming down with COVID-19. This mask is not what we can use. The shortage started since the beginning of last week and we’ve been rationalizing it.
“So, instead of having four people go into the isolation center, two people will go in and they can only administer the drug.
“So, there is no enough manpower that can go in because we don’t have enough PPE for workers.”
It has earlier been reported that three nurses had been tested positive for COVID-19 at the IDH.
