Cross River Doctors Accuse Ayade, NCDC Of Hiding COVID-19 Patients

The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Cross River chapter, has withdrawn its services from all medical facilities in the state.

This was contained  in a letter addressed to the Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, by the state chairman of the association, Dr. Agam Ayuk, on Sunday.

In the letter, Ayuk wondered why the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) did not include Cross River in its daily COVID-19 update, despite the association’s claim of five positive cases recorded.

According to NCDC, Cross River remains the only state without a single case of COVID-19.

But the striking doctors out the lie to such claims, saying(in the letter): “The Association demands an explanation from NCDC, why the five (5) COVID-19 confirmed cases from UCTH carried out at the NCDC accredited Molecular Laboratory at Alex Ekwueme University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State have not reflected in the daily situation report of NCDC long after results had been transmitted to UCTH since July 1, 2020. Congress demands update of the NCDC situation report as a matter of urgent public health interest.”

The association added: “The NCDC is put on notice that the Cross River State Government has abdicated her responsibility of contact tracing, treatment and care for the five (5) confirmed cases which may not be unconnected with the delay in publication of the results by NCDC.”