I Don’t Know Where Chinese Doctors Are, Says Health Minister

By Uche Mbah

By Uche Mbah

Bombshell: The Health minister has claimed ignorance of the Chinese medics that came from china to help in the fight against Coronavirus, saying they are not part of the medical team, and therefore he cannot answer for them.

“I’d be happy if you don’t ask me about them”, Health Minister Osagie Ehanire told journalists in Abuja during the regular coronavirus briefings.

Recall that Allen Onyema, the Air Peace boss, flew to China to bring back medical equipment that will be used in the fight against Coronavirus, and the aircraft brought fourteen Chinese with them against all advice of both the Nigerian Medical Association and the Nigerian Public. The Minister of Health was on ground to receive them at the Airport, and clamor that they must be screened to determine whether they are actually medical practitioners fell on deaf ears. The Chinese ambassador had claimed that they are medical professionals whose bills are footed by the China Engineering Construction Company, CCECC, as their contribution to the fight against COVID 19 since they have the experience.

Currently, China is having a resurgence of COVID 19 in Wuhan.

When the arrived in Nigeria, they were divided into two, with seven in Abuja and the rest taken to Lagos. On coming to Lagos, they refused to be quarantined, until they were taken to the University of Lagos where the quarantine facility was to be. Meanwhile, one had allegedly escaped into town. No one knows what became of that one. At Unilag, more were said to have escaped quarantine. Since then, nothing has been heard of them, hence the recent clamor on their whereabouts.

Responding to questions, The Health Minister, Ehinare said that not all are medical doctors.

“I want to explain that not all of them are medical doctors”, he said. “I heard that some of them are technicians and they are staff of CCECC. The Ministry of Health is not their host so we can’t always explain what happened to them or where they are. There seemed to be a lot of interest in these doctors but they are the staff of a company. I will be very happy if you don’t ask me where they are. They are not really our guests but we have been able to learn something from them. We shared ideas on what they did in their country in managing COVID 19”, the Minister concluded.