- Country Has Only 450 Ventilators, 300 Specialists
By Hamilton Nwosa(Head, The New Diplomat’s Business and data tracking desk)
Despite the increasing cases of COVID-19 across the country, investigations show that only about 450 ventilators and 300 trained anaesthestists are currently in place to handle the soaring figures.
By last night, the confirmed cases have jumped to 981 spread across 26 states and their various demographics in Nigeria. This development has raised serious apprehension that with the growing numbers, there are no sufficient corresponding tools such as ventilators and trained manpower , including specialist Anaaesthhestists to cater for the skyrocketing numbers.
Said an insider at the NCDC, the federal government agency responsible for dealing with the pandemic: “ We have just 450 ventilators. Though we have made arrangements for more but the concern is that with the lock-down globally, we are not sure when we could take delivery. That is our major concern for now. Also we need more trained specialists to take care of the increasing cases…At the moment we have about 300 specialists in that field…”
Recall that the National Coordinator, Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, Sani Aliyu, while speaking at a virtual media press briefing held by the World Economic Forum and the WHO on Thursday, had disclosed that prior to the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria, only about 350 ventilators were available but that an additional 100 have so far been added to those numbers bringing the total available to 450.
Aliyu also spoke on the shortage of requisite manpower to deal with the growing situation in the country.
He added: “Ventilators alone do not run intensive care units. Our major limitation is training of healthcare workers particularly because of the unavailability of anaesthetists. It is impossible to train healthcare workers in this specialised field within a very short period of time. That is my concern.”
