COVID-19 Drama in Delta State as patient disputes test result – COVID-19 drama has ensued in Delta State over the status of of Mr Michael Nwachukwu Mordi, a 53-year old Chief Nursing Officer in Central Hospital, Agbor.
The state Ministry of Health on Tuesday had alerted the public to be wary of making contacts with the alleged COVID-19 patient, Mr Michael Mordi, 53, whose relations removed from a treatment centre in Asaba.
Mr. Michael Mordi who was said to have been forcefully removed from the Federal Medical Centre, FMC, Asaba by seven of his relatives, Monday evening, has opened up, saying he was not suffering from COVID-19.
The 53 years old Mordi who spoke to a reporter on his mobile telephone line, said he was not forcefully removed from the treatment centre as being speculated by the State Ministry of Health.
Insisting that he was not a COVID-19 patient, he lamented that he was forcefully isolated from his family and kept at the FMC for days not that he was sick.
Mordi maintained that he was hale and hearty when they picked him to the FMC treatment centre in Asaba on 24th May, adding that he was not exhibiting any symptom of COVID-19 or symptom any ailment for that matter.
Lamenting that he was being given 10 different drugs including antibiotics twice daily (morning and evening), he decried that “those drugs were capable of destroying my system. I was not sick of anything before they picked me up.
“I thank God that I am still alive even with those drugs they administered on me twice daily. They conducted so many tests on me including X-ray nothing was found.”
On the allegation that he was not cooperating with caregivers at the treatment centre, he said it not true, saying he was taking he medications even though he knew he was not sick.
Saying he requested a re-run test at his expense but they refused, Mordi said they also refused to show him the result of his previous test, rather “they asked me to pack my luggage and leave the centre after staying there from 24th May to 1st June”.
But the Commissioner in the ministry, Dr Mordi Ononye, who raised the alarm in a statement , condemned the action of the relations, who took the patient out of the centre in spite of the danger of such move to the public.
“The Delta State Ministry of Health wishes to express its displeasure over the uncooperative stance of Mr Michael Nwachukwu Mordi, a 53-year old Chief Nursing Officer in Central Hospital, Agbor.
“Mordi tested positive to COVID-19 on May 23rd, 2020 and was admitted into the COVID-19 Treatment Centre, Federal Medical Center, Asaba, on May 24th 2020,” he said.
The Commissioner said that since the admission of Mordi at the treatment centre, he had been very aggressive and uncooperative.
He further stated that Mordi had continually threatened care-givers at the treatment centre and had also rejected his medications.
Ononye said that at 6pm on June 1st, 2020, the patient, Mordi, against medical advice, was forcefully removed from the treatment centre by seven men who claimed to be his relatives.
He also said that the men who carried out the act did not wear any protective coverings.
“These men who carried out this action constitute danger to their own health and that of other people and communities with which they come in contact.
“We wish to use this medium to alert the general public about the public health danger of associating with the patient and with those who have exposed themselves to him,” Ononye warned.
The commissioner advised the patient to return to the treatment center for proper care, and called on those who had exposed themselves to him, to immediately go into supervised quarantine for 14 days.
He reminded the people of the state that the COVID-19 pandemic was real and enjoined the public to continue to observe all preventive measures.
He further enjoined persons who have fever, cough or difficulty with breathing, to visit the nearest government hospital for proper assessment and possible testing.