A CHIEF Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, Dr. Abubakar Danladi, has claimed that over 10,000 health workers across Africa have tested positive for COVID-19 pandemic.
He added that 200 Nigerian health workers and 10 doctors have so far been killed by the disease.
Danladi, who stated these in Kaduna, said the development, coupled with lockdown, reduction in the country’s income and health allocation, might lead to increase in maternal and newborn mortality by 31 per cent in Nigeria.
The expert, who spoke at the inaugural session of Chartered Institute of Health Economist (CIHE) USA and Conferment of Fellowship Awards, themed: “COVID-19: Health and Economic Consequences on MNCH Services”, said the pandemic could equally reverse the gains achieved in reproductive health generally.
According to him, “COVID-19 has potential to increase maternal and newborn mortality by one third (31 per cent) based on historical antecedent and Ebola experience.
“This is because over 10,000 health workers tested positive for COVID-19 across Africa. About 812 tested positive in Nigeria, out of which 200 Nigerian health workers and 10 Nigerian doctors have so far been killed by the disease.
“We applied the same relative reduction in family planning use, antenatal care visit and facility-based delivery seen during the Ebola epidemic to estimate the indirect impact of the COVID-19 on maternal and newborn health in India, Indonesia, Nigeria and Pakistan over the next 12 months using Live Saved Tool.”