A 15-member medical team from China has arrived at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja. The team was flown on an aircraft operated by Air Peace.
The medical personnel, who landed around 5:15 pm were received by the Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Dr Zhou Pingjian; Executive Director, China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation, Mr Jacques Liao as well as senior officials of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Health amongst others.
The team who arrived in Nigeria in a chartered Air Peace aircraft are expected to assist Nigeria in efforts to contain the COVID-19 pandemic.
Health Minister Osagie Ehanire had announced last week that an 18-man team of Chinese medical experts including doctors, nurses and other medical advisers would assist Nigeria in its fight against COVID-19.
The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), in a statement by its president, Dr. Francis AdedayoFaduyile, said the association received the report with great dismay and utter disappointment.
It described the plan as an embarrassment to members and other health workers fighting COVID-19 under deplorable conditions. This personnel should not have been subjected to the ignominy of not being carried along on such a decision, the NMA noted.
Doctors are profoundly dismayed to learn that the Federal Government is inviting the Chinese who from available accounts are not out of the woods themselves, said NMA.
It regretted that the government did not take into consideration the extant laws regulating the practice of medicine in Nigeria as enshrined in the Medical and Dental Council Act. It noted further that the Medical and Dental Council of Nigerian should have been consulted to grant approvals to foreigners to interact with Nigerian patients.
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