Chinese medical personnel in Nigeria built isolation centres, did not treat coronavirus patients, Minister says

The Nigerian government on Tuesday stunned its citizens when it  disclosed that the 15 member team of Chinese medical personnel were in the country to assist in building and equipping isolation centres, contrary to earlier report that, they are to treat coronavirus patients.

Penpushing reports that, Rauf Aregbesola, the Minister of Interior made this known at the daily Presidential Task Force (PTF) on coronavirus, in response to questions during the briefing held in Abuja.

The Minister explained that the  said medical personnel are in Nigeria on the bill of China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation(CCECC) a Chinese company working in Nigeria, adding that, ”indeed 15 Chinese nationals came into Nigeria on April 8,”

“From everything we have heard and said, they were here on the bill of CCECC, a Chinese company working in Nigeria, doing some work for us in several places. And in conjunction with some Nigerian companies, they agreed to support us with efforts to respond to the pandemic.

“At Idu, they participated in retrofitting and equipping the isolation centre there.They equally worked on the dome project that was handled by the NNPC consortium in conjunction with THISDAY. Those are the location in which they came to work,” he explained.

Penpushing further reports that,  Aregbesola threw a bombshell when he disclosed that  the Chinese have been unable to return their country due to the restriction placed on air travels globally, explaining that, the team members were issued a 30-day visa in Beijing, China.

“Fifteen of them came in on April 8. They came on a 30-day visa issued in Beijing but they are still here. They are still here not because they have not completed their job but because there is a restriction on travels in Nigeria occasioned by the COVID-19 protocols.”

Penpushing also reports that, contrary to Aregbesola claim, his counterpart in the Ministry of Health, Prof Osagie Ehanire on arrival of the  Chinese team in Nigeria on April 8 said, they were in the country ”to share their experiences in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic,”

The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), some Nigerians and stakeholders on Penpushing platform had kicked against the decision of the Federal Government to invite the medical experts, but the government went ahead as planned.

Meanwhile, as at the time of filing this report, the whereabouts of these experts recently sparked controversy when the Minister of Health told journalists not to bother his ministry about them and whereabout.