The COVID-19 pandemic is compelling more and more private hospitals to shut down operations after unknowingly attending to patients who turned out positive, writes PRECIOUS IGBONWELUNDU
On April 15, consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist, Dr. Emeka Chugbo, 60, passed on at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), two days after he was brought in showing severe symptoms of the novel Coronavirus disease, COVID-19. Dr. Chugbo was suspected to have unknowingly contracted the virus from a pregnant woman he and another colleague successfully carried out Caesarean Section (CS) at a private hospital in Surulere.
With neither recent travel history nor evidence, she had been in contact with a COVID-19 patient, the doctor, a frontline health worker, went about his routine duty oblivious that the woman later developed symptoms, was tested for the virus but died before the result came back positive.
Like Chugbo and his doctor friend, many medical workers in private facilities across the state have been exposed to the risk of COVID-19 as most returnees from high-risk countries were seeking medicare secretly from private hospitals
Until his death last week, rumours of such practices were dismissed by authorities as baseless with Minister of Health Dr. Osagie Ehanire and Lagos State Commissioner of Health Prof. Akin Abayomi assuring Nigerians no such thing was happening.
Despite repeated claims by Ehanire that private hospitals could not be approved to treat COVID-19 cases because it was risky and easily contracted. The disclosure by Lagos State government last week that First Cardiology Consultant Hospital (FCCH)— the private facility where presidential Chief of Staff (CoS) Mallam Abba Kyari died— was “a designated COVID-19 treatment centre” raised public concerns about the absence of effective monitoring by government regulators.
The Lagos State chapter of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) warned doctors and medical practitioners against receiving and treating COVID-19 patients in their private facilities to avoid endangering lives.
With these realities, some aggrieved health workers in private facilities where such practices were ongoing took it upon themselves to leak information to the public through the social media where accountability could be demanded in real-time from concerned agencies.
One of such instances was that of St. Edward Specialist Hospital, a private facility on Addo Road, Ajah, last Thursday.
The hospital, according to a whistleblower who leaked information to another nurse and social media influencer Kelvin Ossai, admitted a patient with cardiac symptoms and endangered the lives of workers and other patients despite observations from nurses on duty.
The informant alleged that the Managing Director (MD) of the hospital knew the COVID-19 status of the patient but never told the nurses and insisted they had to continue treatment on the patient said to be hypertensive and diabetic.
According to the information, the man was admitted on April 11 and it took the insistence of one of the nurses who just resumed work after being on isolation for the hospital to contact the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) the next day.
Screenshots of conversations between the whistleblower and Ossai, which were posted online Thursday, disclosed that when the man was admitted, the nurse on duty objected but she was overruled by the MD who asked her whether the hospital wouldn’t treat hypertension and diabetes Mellitus patients because of COVID-19 suspicions.
“Another nurse who had just finished her isolation period and resumed work was disturbed about the man’s symptoms. She insisted and they informed NCDC, the man’s sample was collected, Io and behold he is positive
“The MD knew about the result. He also came in close contact with the patient…Can you believe that he didn’t inform the staff? He only told his fellow doctor. It was the other nurse who asked one of the junior doctors and he confirmed the result.
“Everyone was pissed. They noticed the MD didn’t come to work. He was self-isolating and said nurses should continue management. Now, all the health personnel have been exposed to this man and his wife. Other patients are still coming for the treatment.
“Imagine, they kept the face mask with the pharmacist and said medical personnel should collect one face mask per shift or even two shifts? The pharmacist and admin said night nurses don’t need a face mask.”
But St. Edward Hospital on Friday said it treated the patient unknowingly, urging all who have visited the facility as well as workers to isolate for 14 days.
On its Twitter handle, the hospital explained that the man was an old patient being managed for hypertension and diabetes, adding that he was sent to the isolation centre and he was sent to the isolation centre according to protocol.
“St Edward Hospital does not treat COVID-19 patients. I am a cardiologist. One of my hypertensive diabetic patients tested positive for COVID-19 and he was sent to the isolation centre according to protocol.
“Anybody can have COVID-19. We cannot start neglecting or sending away patients because we think they may have COVID-19. Patients have to test positive before you can send them to the isolation centre. Unfortunately, the test takes about three days for the result to come out. While you are waiting, you have to do your best as a doctor to keep the patient alive.”
As Lagosians were still coming to terms with the consequences of these developments and a possible devastating outbreak of the disease in the state as a result of community infection, news of more private hospitals located in different parts of the state filtered in, thus creating further panic.
These hospitals reported to authorities that they treated patients with COVID-19 unknowingly, have undergone decontamination exercises and were advised to temporarily shut down their operations until when it is safe for routine duties to resume.
Among the facilities closed temporarily are Premier Specialists’ Medical Centre (Lekki and Victoria Island), Vedic Lifecare Hospital (Lekki), St. Edward Specialist Hospital, which is closed from April 16 to April 29, and St. Nicholas (Lagos Island), which closed shop on April 18 and will reopen on May 2.
Already, Health Maintenance Organisations (HMOs) have begun sending emails to their clients warning them to avoid going to identified private hospitals including some at Ogba and Surulere, while those who visited the facilities within the period of exposure were asked to immediately contact NCDC and isolate themselves to prevent further spread of the virus should they be carriers.
Metro Health HMO, in a statement on Friday, urged all who have visited St. Edward Hospital between April 11 and 15 to isolate themselves for 14 days, explaining that the facility received a call from NCDC on April 12, a day after admitting the patient and a team was sent there on the same day to collect samples.
“NCDC communicated the result on Tuesday, April 14, which confirmed the patient to be positive and said they were coming to evacuate the patient. NCDC did not come on Tuesday but eventually came on Wednesday, April 15, and evacuated the patient.
“The hospital has been cooperating with NCDC, WHO and all other health agencies that have called or visited since the incident. The hospital had been decontaminated on April 15 working with NCDC and following the guidelines stipulated by NCDC. Though NCDC counselled that they can start normal work after one hour of decontamination, the hospital decided to remain closed and reopen for business on Friday, April 17.
“In line with guidelines prescribed by NCDC, those who visited the facility between April 11 and April 15 should immediately self isolate, stay at home and avoid contact with people including your family (by staying in a room) for 14 days.”
Similarly, Avon HMO sent emails to clients confirming the temporary closure of listed hospitals over COVID-19 exposure. It explained that the four hospitals— St. Edward, St. Nicholas, Premier Specialists and Vedic— self-reported and have been cooperating with health authorities.
“We notice with dismay, a number of inaccurate and misleading messages and emails on hospital closures due to COVID-19, which have gone viral in recent days. Many of them had hospitals listed which have not been contaminated nor closed due to COVID-19.
“Kindly rest assured that we are up to date and have provided you with accurate information via the emails you have received from us. The hospital premises which were contaminated all self-reported and have been cooperating with the Health Authorities. Their premises have been decontaminated and their staff are observing the mandatory self-isolation period.
“The premises remain closed for the duration advised by health authorities and some have extended closure dates and informed us they remain closed till further notice.
“The premises affected thus far are listed below with the dates advised for closures: Premier Specialists’ Medical Centre (till further notice),
Vedic Lifecare Hospital (till further notice), St. Edward Specialist Hospital (from April 16 to April 29) and St. Nicholas Hospital (April 18 to May 2).
“All other hospitals have so far been confirmed to be operational. Please do not panic and succumb to the onslaught of fake news which will abound during this period. We will inform you as soon as these hospitals re-open and are certified okay to attend to patients by the health authorities.
“Also, be mindful that sharing these fake messages can have legal implications. What we are experiencing with hospital infections are normal as the greater percentage of people who contact COVID-19 will be asymptomatic and are likely to appear normal with no apparent signs of COVID-19 related illness.
“Our collective safety will be better assured as the plans and infrastructure for mass testing being put in place across the country begins to yield results. Let us all do our part- Wash your hands frequently, don’t touch your face, observe social distancing, keep at least 2 feet away from others, wear a mask or other face-covering if you have to go out, observe the lockdown and stay home (except going to get food or medication or on essential services).”
Confirming that its operations have been suspended till May 2 as a result of COVID-19 exposure, St. Nicholas Hospital in a statement by Clinical Director, Dr. Ebun Bamgboye, said NCDC has been contacted and the facility decontaminated by the Lagos State Government.
It said its Victoria Island Branch would remain open while patients of the affected Lagos Island branch would have the option of telemedicine.
“The safety of all our staff and patients is of paramount importance to us. As such, we are complying with the directive of the HEFAMAA (Health Facility Monitoring and Accreditation Agency) to suspend our services for two weeks (Saturday, April 18 to Saturday, May 2, 2020).
“We understand the critical needs of our patients, hence we have introduced our telemedicine services where patients can consult our doctors via video and audio channels by calling,” it said.
Lagos State Commissioner for Information Gbenga Omotoso told The Nation it was true some private hospitals reported to authorities that they had contacts with COVID-19 patients.
He said: “It is true that some private hospitals reported to health authorities that they admitted or had contacts with COVID-19 patients and actions were taken. The governor has already warned that those hiding their medical histories and patronising private hospitals will be dealt with.
“Also, any hospital found to have secretly treated COVID-19 cases will not be spared because no such organisation has the right to treat COVID-19 cases.
“At the moment, we have some of the private hospitals asking to be accredited to treat COVID-19 patients but that is being looked into. It is a long process because issues like space; equipment, personnel have to be examined.
“Also, if these hospitals are found to have all these, they will have to be under the authority of the government so, it is a long process. (The Nation)
