The Nigerian health authorities have advised that anybody with symptoms of the Coronavirus pandemic should reach out to its health call centres for assistance.
One of the call centres is the Nigerian Centre for Diseases Control, NCDC.
The call centre number of the NCDC as advertised on the website invites the public to call for information and help on what to do in a suspected case of the coronavirus.
But there have been reported cases of how unhelpful the call centres have been.
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AIT, therefore, made an independent inquiry using a caller who introduced herself as Folorunsho Adebanjo.
She informed the NCDC call line that her cousin is showing symtoms of the Coronavirus, but she was asked to take the patient to any random hospital.
In yet another call, the caller was told by the NCDC that the supposed patient should be taken to a general hospital, adding that there are limited test kits to go around.
But we also tried calling a third time, the NCDC official later told the caller to self-isolate the supposed patient. Apparently not having enough information, the call centre official promised to refer the case to her supervisor.
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We requested where the supposed patient should be taken to get tested, but was told the patient cannot be taken to the lab.
From AIT’s investigation, it came out clear that there is no reference centre where a suspected case can go to get tested.
There was also an indication that those in charge of the call centre were not adequately equipped with Information for callers.
(Editors: Terverr Tyav and Utibe Umoren)
