No health worker should be dismissed at this time: Minister

Osagie-Ehanire

The Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire, has advised against removal or dismissal of any health workers at this period.

The minister gave the advice to health authorities on Friday during the daily briefing by the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19, in Abuja.

He said, “This is not the time for any doctor to be pulled out of service. We need all at this time, we need nurses, laboratory scientists, we need all hands on deck at this time.”

Responding to questions concerning the dismissal of a certain group of doctors, Ehanire added that although he is not aware of the incident, it will be investigated.

“With regards to the doctors who were dismissed, there must have been administration reasons which I don’t know about. It will be looked into by the board at the hospital,” he said.

Also applauding frontline health workers, he said, “We salute your courage and patriotism.”

“Protect yourselves as prescribed. Use your personal protective equipment judiciously. Do not attempt to treat COVID-19 patients without wearing adequate PPE or if your institution is not accredited to do so.

“This is important because we need to keep health workers safe at such a time and cannot afford an increase in number of those who test positive to COVID-19 and have to go into self-isolation.

“Remain vigilant in the line of duty and maintain high index of suspicion for this infection,” he said.