“My Undiluted Story” – Alleged COVID-19 Patient Left Stranded In Delta Isolation Centre

The leaked audio telephone conversation of a suspected COVID-19 patient in Delta state, has further underlines the story of chaos, confusion and conspiracy of secrecy often marring the treatment of COVID-19 patients in Nigeria, BIGPEN can report.

Shamefully, however, almost 24 hours after the said patient who sound frustrated by her ordeal in the hands of medics in the leaked audio that went viral, the Delta state government has not deem it fit to either refute her claims or explain what went wrong.

Below is a verbatim transcription of the tape:

“I am Omamuzo Ijala, the patient that is said to have corona virus. On Tuesday last week, I left my house to visit a friend. I have strong cough and I decided to go see my friend. When the cough was becoming too strong, my friend suggested that we should go to Oto-Udu General hospital. When I got there, a nurse looked at me and said I should go on X-ray. When I did the X-ray, the result came out and stated that I have pneumonia which is true, because I had pneumonia in 2004, August precisely. After getting the x-ray results, I was referred to Warri general hospital with the assurance that I would be well taken care of there.

When I got to Warri Central hospital, I coughed and when the doctors heard me cough, they all ran away. I was confused. There was one stupid nurse among them who started shouting that I can’t stay there, that I have to go. In the midst of the shouting, my friend (which the news said was my boyfriend), went to one of the doctors and asked the meaning of what is happening, the doctor could not say anything. In fact they didn’t know what to administer to me. And the end of the day, I called one of the doctors and said that before corona virus came into existence, there has been strong cough, what has been the medication for strong cough? He couldn’t answer, he was just looking at me. They didn’t even put me on bed. After everything, the doctor then said I should be kept in one of their waiting rooms. When I didn’t get any attention, I went home.

When I got to my house, the doctor called me that I should please come back and I told them that I’m not going back not after treating me like a refugee the previous day. But the doctor continued with his plea of me coming back so that I can be attended to.

When I got there, I was tossed up and down I waited till seven on Saturday evening before a doctor came to me and was talking to me from a distance. He didn’t want to come close and he kept saying that “their enemy” had corona virus. After everything, the man carried out some test on me and asked me to go. Then I asked him when I’m getting my result and he said that they are going to put a call across to me. I said okay and went home.

On Tuesday, I was in my house when they told me that some medical personnel were downstairs looking for me, and I told them to come upstairs that I’m feeling too weak to walk that I can’t go downstairs. But my mum came and persuaded me to go downstairs to meet them. Downstairs, I asked them what the problem was and they said that my result tested positive. I asked them which result and they said the corona virus result then I told them that I want to see the result and they said they would show it to me later that I should follow them to central hospital and I told them I’m not going. And they said if I don’t follow them, I would be answerable to government and I told them that that is what I want. After much persuasion from my mum, they brought an ambulance and took me to General hospital. I told them to show me my result and up till now I have not seen my result. Until yesterday when I started hearing that my name has been publicized all over the world, that I have corona virus. The doctors have not shown me the result stating that I have corona virus.

Yesterday, they brought me a cup of tea that is filled with sugar. I told them that I can’t take the tea. And I waited till afternoon for my lunch. When it was 1:00, I went to them and requested for my lunch they asked me what I wanted to eat and told them I would prefer rice and plantain. I waited till 6:00 yet there was no food for me. When I was not getting any food, I put a call across to my mum. When my mum came and they saw that she was creating scene, that was when they dropped my food at the bathroom entrance and asked me to get the food from there. Till this very moment, I have not seen my result. I want Okowa himself to come to my aid. I don’t have corona virus. I want to be out of this place, I’m tired of staying in this isolation centre. This is a word from Omamuzo Ijala, I am not a corona virus patient I’m not sick of corona virus. And to that person that has written that news that I have corona virus, I give corona virus to him, his entire family and generation, they will die one after the other.

I heard the news that the Ughelli north local government area chairman came to see me, that is a big lie!!
No chairman came to see me. I don’t know him, he doesn’t know me, nobody came to see me. I’m here alone. So for the Ughelli north chairman to say that he came to see me, is a big scam!!

I’m not having runny nose, I’m not having runny stomach, the only thing I am having is cough. And the drugs I’m taking have even subsided the cough, I cough once in a while. I’m not having difficulty in breathing. I even stayed under the Air conditioner yesterday.

I want Okowa to come and see me, he is a medical personnel, he is a doctor, he should come and see and confirm that I don’t have corona virus. I want to leave this place, I want to go home. And I want that person that wrote the news that I have corona virus to rewrite it. I don’t have corona virus!!!”