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Covid-19: several workers test positive in Lagos lab, accuses mgt. of nonchalance
By Modupe Shodeinde
At least five workers at the WellMed Healthcare Laboratory in Ajah, Lagos State, have reportedly tested positive for the COVID-19 virus.
The laboratory is one of government-accredited facilities for coronavirus test in Lagos.
It was reported that the husband of one worker had on Tuesday stormed the lab and accused the management of being nonchalant.
Also, Punch Newspaper reported that sources have accused the management of refusal to disinfect the Laboratory after most of it’s workers tested positive for the virus.
Management were said to have directed those who tested positive to come to work.
“The issue is that most of the staff tested positive and they refused to disinfect the place. I am aware that five people who tested positive this week were asked to stay at home.
“But I discovered that one of those who tested positive was around today (Wednesday). She tested positive yesterday (Tuesday), but was asked to come to work so she could put another nurse through.
“Other workers that want to test, they are telling them it’s not possible, and that if they want to do it, they will pay 50 per cent of the price. The management has not mentioned that they will shut the place even if it is for a week or a few days for fumigation. What they did today (Wednesday) was just to change the working hours.”
Workers were reported to be in panic as the management of the lab refused to fumigate the facility, leaving people in fear of exposure to the virus.
“Since workers tested positive, everybody is scared. We are suspecting one another because we don’t know who and who are now infected. I’m feeling sick now and I’m very sure that if I take the test, I might test positive and this can’t continue going on; we have families at home.”
However the manager of the facility, Dr Belema Uduje, who confirmed that some workers tested positive for the virus, said the affected staff had been isolated.
“The ones that were positive were told to isolate so they left work that same day when the result came out and the others that were negative are in the centre. The centre is sterilised every day whether or not we have a positive case or a negative case.
“We have done the needful; we have sterilised. It was done yesterday (Wednesday). We have a COVID patient who had to go on an emergency test and we have to close that place. We could not take in any other patient into that particular room.”
She noted that the staffs could have been infected by a member of the public as most infected people do not exhibit any symptoms.
The state Commissioner for Information, Gbenga Omotosho, said the government would investigate to see if the lab management was complicit.
