Encomium
Private hospitals in Lagos state and its environs have been recording low patronage in their various hospitals since the outbreak of Ebola virus in the country.
ENCOMIUM Weekly sampled the opinion of private hospital doctors about this latest development.
DR. OMONIYI FAGBEMI, Longing Medical Centre
How has the Ebola outbreak affected patronage at your hospital?
I have noticed there is been reduced attendance of patients generally. Patients have reduced drastically due to the Ebola outbreak. Everybody is trying as much as possible to be careful.
What measures are you taking to curb the spread of this virus in your hospital?
Universal protection, direct or indirect contact with patients, also the usage of gloves. Again, I tell my staffers to wash their hands before and after treating any patient. More so, before entering my hospital you wash your hands with soap and water and at the same use hand sanitizers.
Is it true that doctors turn their backs on patients who want to be treated for malaria because of the virus?
Not in my hospital. We still treat our patients. Malaria is not only the symptoms, there are other symptoms like fever.
In what further ways do you think the government can help its citizens about Ebola virus?
Educating the public, good isolation centre with adequate personnel. Also, good water supply. Providing facilities for the hospitals.
Dr Adewale Ogunbadejo, ANIYUN HOSPITAL LIMITED
How has the Ebola outbreak affected patronage at your hospital?
Yes, it has affected the patronage of patients adversely in our facility.
What preventive measures are you taking to curb the spread of this virus in your hospital?
Every patron must sanitise their hands at the gate before they are allowed into the hospital. Also, every patient must have their vital signs done at a table set outside (within the compound) by a well-kitted nurse. Any patient with temperature above 37.5oc is seen by a properly-kitted doctor. And if history is unsuggestive of Ebola, he/she is treated as an out-patient.
If suggestive, it is referred promptly to Mainland Hospital, Yaba for further review.
Is it true that doctors turn their backs on patients who want to be treated of malaria because of this virus?
No doctor will turn a case of malaria back because of the fear of Ebola except the history is not very clear.
In what further ways do you think the government can help it’s citizens about Ebola?
More public awareness programmes especially on improved personal hygiene, hand-washing and avoidance of unnecessary body contact should be carried out by all levels of government like the NGOs, CDAs, special groups and many more.
Also, improved laboratory facility to make testing easily available to the public.
Dr Usman Dilia, HOLY BETHANY HOSPITAL
What can you tell us about the low patronage of customers due to the Ebola outbreak?
To some extent, I can say due to the outbreak, our customers are not comfortable coming to the hospital even when they are ill because the Ebola disease has created a fear in them that the hospital is a centre of the disease.
Even we the workers are at risk, most at risk to some extent. The outbreak of the disease has really affected us. Patients believe when they are in the ward with one or two patients, they believe one of them might have been infected with the virus.
Now, patients prefer having self medication whereby they go to the pharmacy to get drugs rather than coming to the hospital. Also, when patients see their fellow patients vomiting, the next thing that comes to their mind is this person might have been infected with the disease. Meanwhile, there are other ailments that have similar symptoms to that of Ebola. For instance, malaria.
Also, when patients see their follow patients vomiting, they assume it is Ebola. And they ask to be discharged, even when it is not time for them to be discharged.
Going outside there, they have a story to tell which is telling people there are Ebola patients in the hospital, and this causes a bad impression about the hospital. With all these, people do not patronize us. Even when you don’t have any Ebola case in your hospital, customers are still scared to come to the clinic for treatment.
DR ADEBISI KUKU, Hosanna Clinic
How has the Ebola outbreak affected patronage at your hospital?
I won’t say the outbreak of Ebola caused the low patronage of patients in hospitals. Rather, it was caused due to the introduction of the Health Maintenance Organization (HMO). The HMOs took most of our retailers, even private patients don’t fancy coming to the hospital. Also financial constraints has kept patients away too, not just Ebola.
What preventive measures are you taking to curb the spread of this virus in your hospital?
We have put out hand sanitizers for those coming into the hospital. At the hospital, we do not encourage body contacts for anyone and staffers are made to wear gloves for those who will have personal contacts with patients.
Also, we educate our patients on personal hygiene, how to properly dispose body fluids and the washing of their hands regularly.
Is it true that doctors turn their backs on patients who want to be treated of malaria because of this virus?
I am not part of that world. How will I turn my back on patients who wish to be treated because of an epidemic.
In what further ways do you think the government can help it’s citizens about Ebola?
They should come up with a comprehensive enlightenment programme with the help of the social media on how people can protect themselves from Ebola virus and also to educate medical practitioners.
DR NWACHUKWU, Duro Soleye Hospital
How has the Ebola outbreak affected patronage at your hospital?
The scare of Ebola has affected most people in Lagos because they are all afraid of contracting this deadly virus.
What preventive measures are you taking to curb the spread of this virus in your hospital?
No one will come into the hospital without the use of hand sanitizers at the gate. In case of emergencies, doctors will have to assess patients before taking them into the hospital incase such a patient has to be referred to another hospital.
Also, patients must wash their hands at the nursing station before they are attended to due to the interest of the patient and the hospital.
Is it true that doctors turn their backs on patients who want to be treated of malaria because of this virus?
Honestly, the first common symptom of Ebola is high body temperature. When a patient comes into an hospital with high temperature, the doctors becomes scared, that is why they screen people at the airport.
The main problem is that, any hospital that mistakenly admits any Ebola patients will be shut down and no one or hospital will want to take that risk. If we are not careful, the fear of Ebola will kill more than the virus itself.
In what further ways do you think the government can help it’s citizens about Ebola?
I thank the government for their enlightenment programme and awareness about the epidemic. It is overwhelming. But I believe there is room for improvement. More medical laboratories should be made easily accessible.
DOCTOR ALI TAJUDEEN, Samili Medical Centre
The patronage is low now. The awareness is all over and everybody is trying to protect themselves. I have seen cases whereby patients dictate for we the doctors what kind of bed sheet and towel they want to use due to Ebola.
The awareness is all over, people still come to the hospital. The awareness is there in the sense that patients ask doctors if the tool recommended is sterilized. In the other perspective, it has not really affected my hospital because the awareness about Ebola has been passed across to everyone. People have been educated and they are careful. Patients can’t stay indoors if their ailment is serious, they still come to the hospital for treatment.
‘We all have to be very careful’
DR COLLINS PHILLIPS, Virologist, Maxmed Laboratory
Ebola virus is one of the world’s deadly diseases. It has made a lot of people improve their hygiene and they are now safety conscious. ENCOMIUM Weekly spoke with a virologist about everything you need to know about the deadly disease…
Can you please tell us what you know about the history of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD)?
Ebola began when it was first recognized in 1976, and also, the name was gotten from a river in Congo.
Please mention the countries where the confirmed cases of infection have been reported?
The case of the Ebola virus have been reported in Congo, Sudan, Ivory Coast, Uganda and Nigeria.
Tell us how the outbreak started in Nigeria.
As we all heard and know the first person to be diagnosed with EVD here in Nigeria is Patrick Sawyerr who came from Liberia, and so I guess that is how it all started here.
What are the various symptoms of the deadly disease?
It first starts with fever, severe headache, joint and muscle aches, chills and weakness, and then with time, it degenerates to vomiting, red eyes, diarrhea (it may be bloody too), internal bleeding and so on.
How can this deadly disease be prevented?
We all have to be very careful because we don’t know who is infected and who is not. Also cleanliness matters, that is why people are told to always wash their hands as many times as they can. Sanitizers should also be our best friends now. All the same, may God guide and protect us.
What do you have to say about the stop we all have to put in the consumption of bush meat?
The disease was found in African monkeys and all other nonhuman primates, we all have to careful. Bush meat is very medicinal but prevention is better than cure. And as for bats, I don’t think eating of bats is normal but for those who enjoy it, I think they should also put a stop to it.
