COVID-19: Polytechnic students reject FG’s plans to invite Chinese doctors 

Polytechnic students under the aegis of the National Association of Polytechnic Students (NAPS) have rejected plan by the Federal Government to invite Chinese doctors to help contain the coronavirus pandemic in the country.

The Federal Government had last week hinted of its plan to invite some doctors from China to help in containing the disease, a move that has elicited a lot of reactions.

Reacting to the issue on Monday, the NAPS, a body representing students across all polytechnics, monotechnics and other diploma awarding tertiary institutions in the country, said the idea is not necessary as the country has enough competent doctors to manage the situation.

The NAPS, in a statement by its national president, Olasunkanmi Ijaduoye, the association said the Nigerian doctors treated the Italian who was first found with the disease and the Nigerian doctors have been treating others.

“Our association expressly cautions the Federal Government against being desperate on the war against the coronavirus that we are already winning. Although, it is clearly understood by the Nigerian students that such attempt is borne out of the aggressive measures that the government aims to put in place to avoid outbreak of the disease, but nevertheless, it is still not the best measure to put in place considering ma

“We call the attention of the Federal Government on the performance of Nigerians doctors and other medical practitioners who have been in the frontline in the battle on this virus since Nigeria recorded its index case on 27th February, 2020.

“It is Nigerian doctors that treated the Italian man and subsequently discharged him. Also, it is still Nigerian doctors that have treated about 30 out of over 200 cases and they were discharged.

“While it is not only an “act of belittling ” the Nigerian doctors whose morale will be down as a result of such invitation, inviting the Chinese doctors is also not acceptable because our citizens may reject any Chinese doctors treating them out of stigma and fear that the China is the epicentre of the virus.”