By Dae Steven Deegbara. This Saturday morning like every other, it has for me almost becoming an habit, and usually too for most politicialy conscious Rivers persons, I woke up after my devotion to listen to Port Harcourts’ most listened-to current affairs radio interview program View Point, best anchored by ace broadcaster Segun Owolabi of …
By Dae Steven Deegbara.
This Saturday morning like every other, it has for me almost becoming an habit, and usually too for most politicialy conscious Rivers persons, I woke up after my devotion to listen to Port Harcourts’ most listened-to current affairs radio interview program View Point, best anchored by ace broadcaster Segun Owolabi of Rhythm 93.7 Fm.
As anyone would easily predict, the rave of the moment – the issue of the novel Coronavirus pandemic and its containment efforts, particularly as it concerns Rivers State was topic under discuss. The Chief Medical Director of the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Prof Henry Ugboma was guest on set.
Among the many things he said on radio, which in any case, bothered on measures put in place by the UPTH to manage and contain Covid-19 pandemic, I am particularly taken aback at certain remarks he made, which in my opinion, was very unpatriotic, unfortunate and unacceptable.
The CMD had said and I qoute: “They (Apparently referring to the Rivers State Govt) are rounding people up and declaring them as Covid-19 positive. If they don’t like you, they catch you and lock you up at their isolation center”.
This statement, with all sense of responsibility, is in my considered opinion not only unfortunate, it is reckless and very irresponsible, coming from such a highly placed public health officer of his standing.
Notwithstanding, the UPTH which he had originally intended to say on radio, may actually be deserving of commendation of whatever containment efforts they are putting in to defeat coronavirus in the state. Albeit, I have since taken a position to applaud even the least of efforts anyone makes in this regard.
One would have expected that the CMD of UPTH will take advantage of the radio outing to further correct the widespread impression that the UPTH is not doing enough in the Covid-19 fight in the state, and alay the nepotismal accusations against the Federal Government on covid-19 fight.
Prof Ugboma’s statement instead, rather robed a mess on that effort unfortunately. He seemed more politically reactionary than professionally expect. It appeared more than less an opportunity to throw political banters and hit back at Governor Wike’s perceived opposition to the FG. Such are needless in times like this, not from a medical personel.
It is a bit possible, and easily so to excuse the Governor, a none medical practitioner sounding somewhat political in his approach, but won’t be so far a Chief Medical Director of a Federal Government Tertiary Hospital. It will be professionally impracticable to excuse professor Henry Ugboma, playing politics with health.
How can Dr Ugboma insinuate that people are being rounded-up, quarantined and just declared Covid-19 positive in Rivers State? Where is the coronavirus testing center in Rivers State? Are the NCDC’s reported positive cases in Rivers State not truly positive? Does the Rivers State Government have a secret testing centre?
Is it possible to believe that the NCDC is conniving with Rivers State Government to turn out fake result and figures to be positive in the state, when actually they are not? Has the UPTH under Prof Ugboma another testing processes reconfirming the NCDC’s already tested cases to be negative?
As I ponder on these questions, I still find it very disturbing hearing such an unpatriotic comments coming from a supposed Rivers son in such a time when all efforts is required to tackle coronavirus in the state. It is a shame that we could play politics with the Covid-19 fight.
The Governor may not be completely correct in his anti Covid-19 approaches. Many too have also argued President Buhari’s approach. Understandably so, we are in a war-like situation. We need extraordinary approach, this is not time to spend public funds and dissipate energy on needles criticism and fault finding.
This pandemic knows no political barriers, neither is it a respecter of age, race or status. Coronavirus is an enemy to mankind and to the world’s economy.
I have since elected to put aside politics to support all efforts put in by anyone to combat the novel Coronavirus pandemic in the state and the country. All hands must be on deck, however little it is possible so we can collectively defeat Covid-19.
#Dae
Author:admin
