Nigerian nurses worried about coronavirus

Nigeria’s nurses union has raised concerns over the country’s preparedness for coronavirus, despite government assurances that the country is ready to handle any cases that may arise. 

Abdulrauf Adeniji, leader of the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives, said that nurses were not properly equipped to handle the virus. 

Mr Adeniji told The Punch newspaper that nurses were not being supplied with vital safety kits, as well as basic supplies like gloves and masks. 

Health workers are therefore being forced to carry their own safety kits, particularly those deployed at the country’s points of entry, he said. 

Despite these concerns, Nigeria’s Health Minister Osagie Ehanire has told local media that the country is ready for any suspected case of the deadly virus. 

All passengers are being screened at airports and health officials have measures in place to deal with cases of infection, he said. 

The deadly virus, which was first documented in the Chinese city of Wuhan on New Year’s Eve, has so far infected over 15,000 people, killing 213. 

So far, all suspected cases of coronavirus in Africa - one in Ivory Coast, four in Ethiopia and one in Kenya - have tested negative. 

Photo credit: Xinhua