Doctors, others express fears over lifting of ban on religious gatherings in Kogi, Taraba

The Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) has expressed fears that the lifting of ban on religious congregations by the state government was hasty and may be counterproductive.

Governor Yahaya Bello on Thursday, lifted the ban on religious gathering, an order put in place to check the spread of coronavarius pandemic.

However, NMA through its chairman in the State, Dr Kabiru Zubairu urged the state government to exercise caution, warning that it is not yet uhuru.

“In fact community spread is about to escalate in the country as imported cases reduced due to border closure and lockdown.

“There are unidentified carriers within the community that may unknowingly spread it and it will be worst if they visit gatherings like religious congregations,” he noted.

He also urged the general public to continue to observe social distancing, regular hand washing with soap and water or hand sanitizer, and also avoid touching of their face without sanitizing it or washing it, amongst other measures.

“Now that Government has taken the decision, the designated isolation and treatment centres have to be urgently equipped to standard.

“Health care workers should be on the alert and maintain high level of suspicion on any patient visiting their facilities and observe standard procedure, including droplets precautions at all times,” he advised.

Also speaking on the matter, a private medical practitioner, Dr Suleiman Ndanusa averred that the ban was a child of necessity to keep people safe, adding that it was wrong to have lifted it when the state lack the facility and infrastructure to tackle the pandemic should there be an incidence.

According to him, it was risky for the state to take such “sudden chances” when the neighbouring Kwara State is tracking contacts with the index that died recently.

He noted that the fact the state is entry point to travellers across the country makes it more vulnerable, while urging the government to further weigh the implication of it’s decision.

Meanwhile a senior medical doctor and retired permanent secretary in Taraba state, Dr. Hamidu Muhammed has faulted Taraba state government decisions to relax the lockdown order in the state.

He said relaxing the lockdown order is too early and risky, stressing that it will expose people in the state to the virus.

Dr Hamid said the relaxation of the lockdown make nonsense of the measures put in place to control spread of deadly virus in the state .

“Markets are reopened,ban on Jummat prayers and Sunday church services was lifted and by implication people are allowed to gather in large number and if care is not taken the virus will find its way into the state,” he said.

He advised the state government to weigh the implications of relaxing the lockdown and take necessary action to curb the spread of the virus.