The Nigerian Medical Association, Rivers State branch, says doctors and 60 other health workers have tested positive to COVID-19 in the state.

The body also made a passionate appeal for an upward review of the hazard allowance paid to frontline doctors working for the state government.

Addressing journalists in Port Harcourt on Friday, the chairman, NMA, Rivers state, Dr Obulebra Adebiyi said that healthcare delivery in Rivers State is facing so many challenges including shortages of Personal Protective Equipment needed to battle COVID-19.

She bemoaned that despite the efforts of the Rivers government, the continuous increase in the number of reported cases exposed several health workers to the spread of the disease.

“The number of cases in Rivers state moved from zero, in less than 8 weeks, to about 450 confirmed cases with 21 deaths. This is a worrisome situation. More worrisome to us is the rising cases of infection among health workers.

“Currently, 22 doctors and over 60 health workers have been confirmed positive and are receiving treatment across different isolation centres in the state.

“The state has also recorded the death of a health worker through coronavirus,” she said.

While calling for adequate funding of health facilities in the state, the NMA boss lamented that frontline health workers in public hospitals are left to provide PPEs for themselves.

“This development has worsened the infection of health workers. The government must provide PPEs for all health workers in public and private hospitals.

“When health workers are unprotected, the risk for infection rises significantly and our collective effort to fight the pandemic is greatly hampered.

“This is another issue that must be urgently addressed if we will make progress in our fight against COVID-19,” she said.