*Chinese medical personnel who arrived Nigeria yesterday aboard Air Peace airline to “help” Nigeria combat COVID-19
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have called on Nigerians to hold President Muhammadu Buhari responsible should there be any upsurge in the rate of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) infection and death in the country following the importation of doctors from China. Nigerians including medical experts are not comfortable that the government at this time decided to import the so-called Chinese medical experts from China, which is the epicenter of the pandemic.
The pandemic originated from a place called Wuhan in China from where the virus was “distributed” to the whole world with thousands of lives lost already across the globe. It was suspicious therefore that Nigeria would turn to China for help even as Nigerian medical professionals have been at their best in terms of containing, treating affected patients and even discharging a good number of the COVID-19 sufferers. Only today, the Lagos State governor, Mr. Babajide Sonwo-Olu reported the state has discharged another seven patients who were contracted but have now tested negative twice.
The PDP said it was alarmed that Buhari ignored the protests by Nigerians and professional bodies including the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) and allowed the importation of the Chinese doctors despite warnings that bringing in doctors from the hotbed of the plague would expose citizens to further risks. Indeed, it was alleged that Italy never experienced explosion of COVID-19 cases until the Chinese arrived.
The PDP in a statement by Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan, PDP’s National Publicity Secretary, the party said the Federal Government was importing the Chinese doctors “even as Nigerians across the board have continued to question the status, identity and interest of the Chinese doctors as well as the safety of kits and equipment from China, particularly following scary reports of escalation of the scourge in certain countries reportedly after the arrival of Chinese medical personnel in those countries. Moreover, our doctors and nurses have been on top of the situation with records of recoveries and fewer casualties, thus raising questions about the real intentions of bringing in doctors from China.”
It is on record that just yesterday after trying to parley Nigerians on the rationale for their coming by the Presidential Task Force led by the Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Boss Mustapha, a 15-man medical team from China arrived in Nigeria aboard an Air Peace chartered flight earlier designated for that purpose by the Federal Government. The team that came arrived with medical supplies were received by the Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire.
Nigerian flag carrier, Air Peace airlines, delivered the supplies after a historical flight to Chinese capital, Beijing. The flight was operated by the airline’s Boeing B777-200 ER, which arrived at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, at 4:25 p.m. after 15 hours flight. The federal government on April 5 delivered the first batch of medical supplies from Istanbul, Turkey, airlifted by the Air Peace. Among the materials brought in by the flight are 16-tonnes of test kits, ventilators, disinfectant machines, disposable medical masks, medicines, rubber gloves, protective gowns, goggles, face shields and infra-red thermometers.
