Mr Ehanire while
speaking at the daily Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 briefing on
Thursday said about 80 per cent of those who have COVID-19 would have no
symptoms.
He said it is quite
tasking convincing asymptomatic patients of their positive results.
“It has been said
that 80 per cent of those who have COVID-19 would have no symptoms,” he said.
“And those who have no symptoms will not believe you that they are positive
because they look at the TV and see people collapsing, they see intensive care,
and there is nothing wrong with them.
”Again, you also
have the issue of people who test and they are positive but they have no
symptoms. They think you are going to look for them, they run and go into
hiding or they disappear,” he said.
Trend
Several reports from
across the country reveal how positive COVID-19 patients avoid being treated at
the designated isolation centres and some break out from the centres after
being admitted.
On April 4, six
COVID-19 patients reportedly escaped from the dormitory of the Unity School,
Ejigbo, where they were being treated.
Similarly, on April
27 three persons who tested positive of COVID-19 in Kano State allegedly ran
away.
The Lagos State
commissioner for health, Akin Abayomi also said many of the patients who had
tested positive for COVID-19 are not at the isolation centres “because they are
on the run.”
Some experts had
said these actions may be attributed to the stigmatisation of COVID-19 patients
in the country.
Stigmatisation
John Oghenehero, a
medical officer and general practitioner, told PREMIUM TIMES that the fear of
stigmatisation and the fear of the unknown are part of the reasons people do
not want be admitted into the isolation centres.
“A lot of people
still do not understand how the virus is managed hence they don’t want to be
stigmatised,” he said. “It is common knowledge that there is currently no cure
or vaccine. So people tend to be afraid or have the feeling that nothing can be
done for them in these isolation centers realistically. So they may feel there
is no need to go to the hospital.”
Contact tracing
Meanwhile, at the
briefing, the chairman of the Task Force, Boss Mustapha, expressed worry over
the refusal of some Nigerians to help with contact tracing.
He said incessant
contact tracing will help slow down the spread of the virus.
”We have received
reports about citizens refusing to help with contact tracing as well as going
into isolation after testing positive,” he said. “It is in the interest of
everybody that contacts are traced so as to slow down the spread.”
He noted that some
fatalities recorded from the virus are due to changes in the condition of
patients while staying outside the isolation facilities.
”It is also in our
interest to go into isolation facilities for close monitoring. A number of
fatalities have been recorded due to the change in the condition of patients
while staying outside the isolation facilities.
”Our appeal is that
if agents of the state get in touch with you regarding testing, contact tracing
activities, please cooperate,” he said.
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