COVID-19 : Doctor dies after treating patient in Jigawa

A medical doctor with the Federal Medical Centre, Birnin Kudu in Jigawa State, Dr Naseer Adam, is dead.

The deceased died on Saturday of COVID-19-related symptoms.

The Chairman of the Nigerian Medical Association, Kano State, Dr Sanusi Bala, confirmed the death of the deceased today.

“Yes, I know. The late Adam worked with the Federal Medical Centre Birnin Kudu in Jigawa State,” he said.

The deceased was said to have managed a patient with an acute respiratory infection about three weeks ago.

The patient returned to the hospital again due to worsening breathlessness and after isolation, the patient tested positive for COVID-19.

However, four days ago, the doctor started having running nose and dry cough, forcing him to be admitted at the emergency section.

He, however, died on Saturday at the health facility where he was receiving medical attention.

One of his colleagues, Dr Abbas Bello, paid tribute to him on social media, saying, “Truly, one of the darkest moments of a doctor’s life is when they couldn’t help save the life of a colleague, friend and one of their own!

Dr Naseer Adam was one of the most hardworking, humble, kind, generous, industrious, and down to the earth, I have recently come across.

Because of his empathy and generosity, almost all the indigent patients want to see him as he will review them, prescribe, pay for the medication he prescribed and give them transport fare.”

NDDC shut down headquarters over death of director

The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has shut down its headquarters in Port Harcourt after the reported death of its Executive Director, Finance and Administration, Chief Ibanga Etang.

Etang was said to have died in the early hours of Thursday as he reportedly took ill last week and was taken to the Rivers State University Teaching in Port Harcourt for treatment.

But efforts made by our correspondent to get the Corporate Affairs Department of the NDDC to confirm the sad incident were not successful.

However, in a memo signed by Silas Anyawu on behalf of the management of the NDDC effecting the shutting down of the office, he said, 

“I am directed to inform all staff that management has approved that the commission be shut down for two weeks from today 28 May 2020.

Consequently, all activities in the commission including ongoing matters are hereby shut down for the time being.

Members of staff are to ensure that all electrical appliances in their offices are switched off before leaving the premises.

The head security is by this memo directed to work out modalities to ensure the safety and security of the commission while director, the administration is requested to fumigate and decontaminate the entire offices and premises in the Headquarters during the period.

Meanwhile staff are enjoined to go into self-isolation for two weeks as they await further directive from Management.”

When contacted, the commission’s Director of Corporate Affairs, Mr. Charles Odili, said he would not be able to confirm the director’s death, adding that such confirmation would come from the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio.

“I don’t have any official information on that; I have not spoken with the family. So, we don’t really have an official position on that matter. If we have to do it, it has to come from the Minister’s office. For now, there is no confirmation,” Odili said.