A doctor and a union leader at the FEDERAL MEDICAL CENTRE, Idi-Aba Abeokuta, have revealed how five Chinese were reportedly driven away by medical workers after reporting a colleague with symptoms similar to COVID-19.
The two officials of the hospital, who spoke with one of our correspondents on condition of anonymity, said the incident happened on Friday evening.
According to the account given by both officials of FMC, the five Chinese wore face masks and visited the hospital and went straight to a private ward.
The sources said the Chinese worked with a private company that used private ward of the hospital.
One of the sources stated, “They said they have a colleague at home that sneezes and coughs. They came to make an enquiry on how to bring him to the hospital for treatment.
“But, because there is no facility they could not take in, they just referred them to Yaba hospital, Lagos.”
One of the sources told our correspondent that, he was told on Monday that the sick Chinese had been taken to Yaba hospital.
When contacted for reaction, the hospital’s Public Relations Officer, SEGUN ORISAJO, said he had yet to be briefed about the incident.
ORISAJO also explained that FMC Abeokuta was not known for turning patients down when they needed the hospital service.
He said, “In all sincerity, I don’t know anything about that. They said we turned them down we could not attend to them, there is no substance in that.”
When asked if he meant that the incident did not happen, he said, “I cannot say for now, because, nothing of such I am aware of. Honestly, if I know I will tell you. I am not aware, that is the simple thing.
“We will not turn down any patient. The hospital will not on any basis turn down any patient. If they had been something of sort the management would have issued a statement.”