Retired medical personnel, especially doctors and nurses, might have to dust their lab coats, brush up their medical knowledge and return to service as the coronavirus situation in Nigeria aggravates.

This was the position of the Federal Government on Monday when it said it might ask retired doctors and nurses to come out of  retirement to be reabsorbed in states to help in the fight against coronavirus scourge

The Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire, made this known in Abuja while giving an update on the virus in Abuja.

According to the minister, 40 persons had so far been infected in the country, with 30 of them having travel history while six had contacts with infected persons.

He added that four of the infected persons had no travel history or known contact with a confirmed case.

The minister said one death had so far been recorded, explaining that the deceased died of complications from underlining illness, having just returned from the United Kingdom, where he had gone for treatment.

He said, “We have advised that some states should issue a call for retired doctors and nurses to be able to be reabsorbed and come back to service for this particular period if the need arises. They can be recalled back to active duty. They are in the reserved pool.

“As of this date, there are 40 cases of coronavirus in Nigeria. Of these cases 25 are in Lagos, six are at the Federal Capital Territory, two are in Ogun, one in Edo, one in Ekiti and one in Oyo State.

“26 have had a travel history to countries with high burden in the last two weeks, six are contacts of the confirmed cases and for four of them, we have not been able to trace recent travel history or trace known confirmed contact. Unfortunately, we recorded the first death of COVID-19 infection in the country.

“This was a Nigerian who had underline illnesses and died due to complications on March 22, 2020, in Abuja. He had just returned from treatment in the United Kingdom. After successful treatment, two persons have been discharged. 32 are clinically stable with mild symptoms. One patient is dependent on oxygen.”

The federal government decision to recall retired medical personnel is coming barely a year after minister of labour, Chris Ngige, made the infamous ludicrous and patronising comment, asking doctors who wanted to leave Nigeria to do so that the country has enough.