Miss Omamuzo Ijala
Ovedhe Hezekiah -Warri
A patient who reportedly tested positive with Coronavirus in Delta state has challenged the Delta state government to produce her test result.
The patient, Miss Omamuzo Ijala, who hails from Udu local government area, Delta state, has been kept in isolation since last week by the Delta state committee on COVID-19.
Ijala said she did not test positive as being reported by the Delta state government.
“I only have cough. I am not positive. I demand to see the test result carried out on me.”
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Ijala had called a radio station in Delta to debunk report that she tested positive with COVID-19, saying that the staff of Central hospital, Warri, where she is kept in isolation, treat her like a leper.
She decried the poor treatment meted to her at the Central hospital Warri by the medical personnel who are afraid that she has the virus and they may contract it from her since they are not properly kitted.
Ijala Omamuzou accused the hospital management of starving her and giving her poor meal.
“At the Warri Central Hospital, I was starved for several hours without food. When they gave me tea, the tea was filled with excess sugar and I rejected the tea waiting for my lunch. In the afternoon they asked me what I will eat and I replied rice and plantain.
“After waiting for several hours without bringing my food, I put a call to my mother to bring me food. It was about 7pm when my mother had arrived that they brought my food and they dropped it at the entrance of the bathing room calling me that I should go and take my food there. Then I queried them never to drop my food there for me again.”
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Delta state government is embarrassed by the audio of the young girl’s dehumanising experience in the state’s isolation centre and has cut her off from all communications after her last conversation with our correspondent.
The audio released by Miss Ijala, was independently verified by The Dune.
When our correspondent contacted the suspected patient at Central hospital, Warri, on Thursday 23rd April, she insisted that the report which claims that she tested positive for COVID-19 was fake, challenging the state government to produce her result.
Ijala maintained that she does not have Coronavirus.
Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, speaking at the center for communicable disease and research, Delta state.
“I told them that I want to see my result. The Commissioner of health also called me, I told him, sir with due respect, I want to see my result.”
“I have been indoor throughout the lockdown, so where did I get it (coronavirus) from; those of you going out every day have not contracted it, so how did I get it?
“I am an indoor person, I hardly socialize, though I am well known in my business, I have been indoors since the lockdown.”
When asked how she knew she does not have Coronavirus, she said: “Though the symptoms are cough, running nose, flu, difficulty in breathing and so on, but I only have a cough.”
She added that her brother took her to her friend’s place a day before the extension of the lockdown and that before then, she had remained indoors.
However, our interaction with her was cut short when she was told that the medical director wants to speak to her.
After an hour of waiting, the attempt by our correspondent to reach her again was not successful as her phones were switched off.
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Confirming the audio too, a brother to Miss Ijala, said he and other family members visited her on Wednesday to give her some items following her calls that she was not properly taken care off.
“On getting to the hospital we were told that we cannot bring edible food to her, even the hot water that we brought in flasks was also rejected.”
Her brother lamented the poor treatment giving to her at the isolation centre at Warri Central hospital, calling on the government to come to her sister’s aid.
Delta state Commissioner for Health, Dr Mordi Ononye, has on Wednesday in Asaba, announced two new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the state, bringing the total confirmed cases in the state to six, with one death and five active cases.
• Excerpts of complaints made by Miss Ijala held in isolation at Central hospital, Warri, Delta state.
I had cough last week. When I went to see my friend, my cough got severe. So my friend suggested we go to the hospital. So we went to Otu – Jeremi hospital, Warri. When I got there, I was told to get an x- ray of my chest. When the x-ray came out, I was told I have pneumonia. And I was told to go Central Hospital, Warri, that I will be well taken care of, there. When I came to Central Hospital, Warri, when the doctor and nurses heard me cough, they all ran away. After they ran away, I was confused. One of the nurses started shouting, ‘she cannot stay here, she cannot stay here. She has to go’.
After much talk, my friend went to meet the doctor to find out what was going on. They could not explain. So, we suspected that they think I have Coronavirus. So, I called one of the doctors and said, before Coronavirus came into existence, there has been strong cough. What are the drugs used to treat it. The doctor could not say anything. After a long time, the doctor came and told me to lie down on a bench for examination. I was not given a bed. I laid there for long until I started getting pains because of the hard surface of the bench.
So, I went home. When I got home, the hospital called me to come back. I told them I was not coming back because when I came, they treated me like a refugee. The doctor said I should please come back that they want to attend to me. When I came to the hospital again on Saturday, they didn’t attend to me until around 7p.m that was when a doctor came and told me that another doctor will attend to me. The doctor was talking to me from a distance. After everything, the doctor carried out some tests on me and said, ‘OK’, I should go.
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So, I asked him when I’m I getting the test result, he said, he will call me. I went back home. On Tuesday I was at home when I got a call that some medical personnel were looking for me. I asked, what for? I said they should come upstairs. They said they won’t come upstairs. After my mum met with them, I came downstairs and asked them, how may I help them? They said, my result came out positive. I asked them, which result? They said Coronavirus. I told them, can I see the result? They said I shouldn’t worry, I will see the result, that they will go and come back with their ambulance to take me to General hospital, Warri. I said was not going with them until they show me the result. They said if I don’t go, that I will have a problem with the government.
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So, when they came back, my mum persuaded me to follow them to central hospital here. Till now, I have not seen any result. Yesterday, they publicised my name all over the world that I have Coronavirus. Till now the doctors have not come to show me the result.
I have been starved of food. When they finally brought me tea, the tea was filled with excess sugar and I rejected the tea waiting for my lunch. In the afternoon they asked me what I will eat and I replied rice and plantain.
After waiting for several hours without bringing my food, I put a call to my mother to bring me food. It was about 7pm when my mother had arrived that they brought my food and they dropped it at the entrance of the bathing room calling me that I should go and take my food there. Then I queried them never to drop my food there for me again.
I am calling on Governor Ifeanyi Okowa to come and see me. He is a medical doctor, so if he sees a Coronavirus patient, he will know. I want my freedom. I want to leave this place.
