COVID-19

Experiences of patients and healthcare workers in isolation centers in Nigeria

Abstract

The first COVID-19 case in Sub-Saharan Africa was reported in Nigeria on 27th February 2020, and within weeks the disease spread to all African countries. In Nigeria, as a result of the stigma attached to the disease, some individuals suspected to have the disease do not want to be tested, while some infected patients abscond from isolation centers. Frontline workers are being infected while on duty to save infected patients due to the lack of personal protective equipment (PPE). Based on these, the study examined the experiences and testimonies of COVID-19 patients and frontline workers in Nigerian isolation centers. Data were collected using secondary sources from online Nigerian Newspapers, organizations, and television networks. Narratives collected were arranged in themes and presented using verbatim quotes. Findings show that patients in the isolation centres felt lonely, and suffered from psychological trauma, while frontline workers reported that they were emotionally and physically drained due to work pressure, distance from families, and lack of PPE needed in treating patients. The paper recommends the need for social workers to draw government and NGO’s attention in providing facilities, medications, and PPE in all isolation centers across the country.