The National President of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), Professor Innocent Ujah has dropped a hint that the two health commissioners in Kogi and Cross Rivers are to be prosecuted before a court for their alleged unethical conduct in the fight against the spread of coronavirus.
Ujah, said the commissioners were “playing politics with human lives” in the two states, and have been reported by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, for their grossly unprofessional conduct.
He also said some doctors have to be sanctioned and be made to face trial in competent courts, adding that by their training, doctors are expected to be objective on issues affecting the well-being of humanity.
The NMA president in a lecture with the theme: “Social Organisations, Human Rights and Covid-19 Pandemic”, he delivered at the 22nd Anniversary and Founders Day Celebration of the Peace Corps of Nigeria, held that, contrary to the erroneous impression created by the two commissioners that coronavirus does not exist in their states, abundant medical evidence has established the existence of the disease.
“The truth of the matter in this country today is that Covid-19 is real. It has come and it’s throwing this nation into a big mess.
“It is a known fact today that the greatest challenge to humanity is the coronavirus. We do not need to wait till we begin to see dead bodies on our streets before we believe that the disease is with us.
“What those Commissioners are doing is to endanger the lives of the people instead of advising their Governors properly.
“They don’t live in island. They are epidemic characterization of the disease. Kogi is a transit state when you come from the South East to the North, you pass through Kogi, when you come from the North, you pass through Kogi, from the South, you pass through Kogi, and they are saying there is no COVID-19 in Kogi state.
“Cross River has international borders and there is no reason why COVID-19 should not be in Cross Rivers State. I think they have recorded 5 already, and it could be more. I believe the Commissioners are coming out to play politics with human lives.
“They are going to be arraigned by the Dental and Medical Council for unethical behaviour. They are Medical Doctors and it is within the purview of the MDCN to discipline them and if found guilty, the appropriate punishment will be meted out to them”, he said.
The NMA president also praised the Federal Government for deciding to stop West Africa Examinations Council, WAEC, saying it will be disastrous for innocent students to be exposed to the deadly virus.
