COVID-19: Hospital honours frontline workers for bravery

The Dalhatu Araf Specialist Hospital, Lafia, Nasarawa State, presented award of excellence to frontline health workers that helped to combat the COVID-19 pandemic on Thursday.

READ ALSO: President Mnangagwa commissions building for frontline health workers

Including the two medical doctors that died in the line of duty were also bestowed with posthumous awards in appreciation of their sacrifice.
The Chief Medical Director of the hospital, Dr. Hassan Ikrama, said those honoured recorded unprecedented success in handling COVID-19 cases in the hospital.
Ikrama stressed that the COVID-19 isolation centre team worked diligently and tirelessly round the clock to fight the spread of the virus and treat those infected.

He explained that 2019 and 2020 were trying times for health workers globally as the virus ravaged the world.

“The management of COVID-19 cases in DASH was superb and we received commendations from many places, including from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, on how we handled the cases,” Ikrama added.

“At the peak of the outbreak, patients were being referred from the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, to our facility, because of the way we handled cases and we were getting results.

“All these successes were made possible because of the selflessness, dedication and commitment of our staff. So we need to recognise those efforts.”

He said that two consultant gynaecologists, Dr. Nwaru Victor and Dr. Esa Oga, who died in 2021, after performing surgery on a suspected Lassa fever patient were also given posthumous awards.

Chairman of the award committee, Dr. Agbawu Mek-Agbawu, said the selection process was based on merit.

PHW