SOCIO - ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL IMPEDIMENTS IN THE DIAGNOSIS, TREATMENT AND CONTAINMENT OF COVID-19 AMONGST WOMEN IN NIGERIA

Abstract

The discovery of COVID-19 infections in Wuhan District of China and spread to other parts of the world literally took humanity by storm. In Nigeria, the first case of the virus was officially reported by the Federal Ministry of Health on the 27th of February 2020. Attempts at diagnosis, treatment and containment of patients especially women has often been met with obstacles in many parts of the country due to existing socio-economic and cultural impediments placed on women. This paper identified and discussed some of these impediments with a view to recommending strategies for effective containment of the disease. Qualitative data obtained from literature sources were reviewed and analyzed thematically. The social cultural theory of disease was used as a theoretical framework of analyses. The paper found several impediments against effective diagnosis and treatment of COVID-19 among female patients in many parts of the country. It therefore recommends among other things, the enlightenment of the people on the need to jettison cultural differences and work towards effective control of the disease.