Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire, has said that no private hospital has been given approval to treat COVID-19 patients despite some showing interest to treat the virus.
According to him, there is no hospital that has met the criteria – so in other to avoid cross-infection, infected individuals are not allowed to treat privately.
Osagie disclosed this at the daily briefing by Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 in Abuja on Friday April 17.
“No accredited private hospital has been given approval in Abuja. Lagos is looking at some accredited hospitals. There’s one large hospital in Lagos that has called me and said they want to become a coronavirus treatment centre.
“The structure of the hospital is that they are ready to remove all present patients they have and do nothing but Coronavirus treatment. That would be good because they don’t stand the chance of cross-infection.
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“But, at the moment, there is no hospital that has met the criteria.
“Treating of private patients is not allowed. It is risky. Coronavirus is one of the most easily transmitted diseases you can think of. So, it is not allowed to treat Coronavirus privately.”
The Minister also revealed that there are guidelines hospitals must follow before the successful treating of COVID-19 patients privately.
“If you are a private person and you want to run a treatment centre, you have to show that you have the staff. The doctor must be an infectious disease specialist.
“You need nurses and even cleaners that are trained because the handling of this hospital is different from ordinary hospitals. They must be trained in infection control professional protocols. The hospital must be properly ventilated.
“You have to have inspection by a team of accreditors that will give you go ahead,” he added.
