A total of 16 doctors have been killed so far while battling the COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria, Africa's most populous country, said a medical association leader on Monday.

Baba Issa, chairman of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) in the western state of Kwara, told reporters the figure was confirmed across the 36 states of the country since the pandemic broke out eight months ago.

Over the past eight months, Issa said that 1,031 doctors had been exposed to the virus in Nigeria, and 321 had contracted the disease.

"Nigeria in the past eight months has had a fair share of the disease and has battled relentlessly to contain the rising cases of infection affecting every state in the nation, albeit disproportionately," he said.

"Sadly, many health systems were overwhelmed by the pandemic due to inadequate emergency preparedness and response, largely due to inadequate human resources, infrastructural deficit, and medical consumables, including personal protective equipment," he added. Enditem

Doctors struggling at the forefront are respected. For the battle of the epidemic, we have gained a lot and lost a lot. Always remember to look forward, accept new knowledge and perspectives, and don’t use old perspectives to influence your own judgment.