The Nigerian Medical Association [NMA] on Sunday called on the federal and the state governments to create more bed-spaces in hotels and public places for the treatment of COVID-19 patients.

The President of the NMA, Prof Innocent Ujah, made the call in Jos while commenting on the increasing number of COVID -19 active cases, which had exceeded the available bed-spaces in the country. He insisted that home care for COVID-19 patients was dangerous.

The NMA had last month kicked against home treatment for coronavirus patients.

On Sunday, Ujah warned that allowing patients to be treated at home for the disease was capable of escalating the situation.

He explained that the initial practice of self -isolation for suspected cases which he noted was against Nigerian culture was responsible for community transmission of the disease

The NMA president said,

“Who says more bed-spaces cannot be created to accommodate new cases? Don’t forget, the initial practice of self-isolation gave room for community transmission because it has no room in our culture. When you return from abroad, some people would come and embrace you while greeting you and even your children. Would you send them away? That made the self- isolation strategy unworkable.

“If at that time, provisions were made in hotels to keep those who were returning from abroad and not asking  them to go on self-isolation, I believe that the community transmission of the disease could have been curtailed. So, the federal and state governments should create more bed-spaces in hotels and other public spaces for the treatment of COVID-19  because you cannot treat the disease at home otherwise it would not have qualified to be called an emergency health situation.”