COVID-19: FG beefs up response to Kano

.Deploys ventilators, other equipment to help curb spread

In its bid to control the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19) in Kano State, the Federal Government said on Thursday that it has released a number of equipment to be transported immediately to Kano to beef up the response.

The equipment include two oxygen concentrate and three ventilators, 280 protective gowns, 538 examination gloves, 25 boot covers, medical masks, surgical caps, and infrared thermometers.

Speaking at the resumed daily briefing of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19, the PTF chairman, Mr. Boss Mustapha, reaffirmed the commitment of the government to curb the spread of COVID-19 in Kano State.

According to the PTF chairman, Kano is one of Nigeria’s historical cities and remains a backbone for the economy of the nation.

“The Presidential Task Force has released a number of equipment to be transported immediately to Kano to beef up the response.

“These include two oxygen concentrate and three ventilators, 280 protective gowns, 538 examination gloves, 25 boot covers, medical masks, surgical caps, and infrared thermometers”, he said.

While expressing concern that the figure of confirmed cases of COVID-19 has continued to rise in Kano with five deaths from 139 infections as of 12:05am on April 30, Mustapha assured the residents that the team would do everything possible to curb the spread of the disease in the state, as directed by the President.

He said that the government has already established isolation and treatment centres with a holding capacity of 274 persons in Kano.

According to Mustapha, the proposed establishment of additional facilities with a capacity of 500 persons and two sample collection centres along with six new proposed centres will provide a strong foundation for tackling the spread of the virus in the state.

He also revealed that the Nigerian Military, under its COVID-19 response plan, would establish an additional isolation centre, a treatment facility, and a testing laboratory in Kano.

“The Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, in the immediate, will further strengthen Kano State to scale up its response with the provision of necessary facilities and equipment, capacity building, improving stakeholder interface and guidance on existing policies against the fight on the pandemic in the state.

“Already the testing laboratories in the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital and the Bayero University, Kano have become fully functional,” the SGF added.

On his part, the Minster of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, disclosed that the the ministry in its bid to mobilise and identify new cases has brought in manpower capacity from National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA).

“As community transmission emerges, the Federal Ministry of Health has brought in manpower capacity from National Primary Health Care Development Agency to strengthen and integrate risk communication with the planned training of primary healthcare workers and also community mobolisers to identify new cases and drive demand for COVID-19 testing, while continuing to maintain normal outpatient service.

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“This ensures that health services provision does not suffer at the primary health care level, but also that health workforce remains safe.

“NPHCDA will anchor community engagement and mobilisation for COVID-19,” the minister stated.

Earlier, Director-General of Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu while reacting to the proposed NCDC bill by the House of Representatives, said the timing was wrong.

The NCDC boss said that although the bill shows that the lawmakers are concerned about the COVID-19 pandemic and trying to find solutions, the bill requires consultation to be able to serve Nigeria both in present and in the future.

“I’m personally not in favour of drafting a bill in the middle of a crisis. I think we need to get over the crisis and use the momentum to engage with all stakeholders to come up with a bill that will really serve this country.

“We must think through step carefully and come up with a bill fit for purpose and serves us now and into the future,” he said.