Kebbi Gov’s wife takes COVID-19 sensitisation to christian worship centres

The wife of the Kebbi State Governor, Dr Zainab Bagudu, has delegated a team to join the state task force on COVID-19 19 sensitisation tour to Christian worship centres in Birnin Kebbi.

This is contained in a statement signed by Mrs Saratu Bukar-Gana, the Technical Assistant to Mrs Bagudu, and made available to newsmen in Birnin Kebbi on Tuesday.

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According to the statement, the places visited included the ECWA and Anglican Churches, Makerar Gandu, Cherubim and Seraphim GRA and Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Kebbi Fellowship Chapter.

The aide said that the exercise was done to educate the community on the steps to take to prevent the spread of the Coronavirus as well as enlighten them on the efforts of the Kebbi Government to prevent its spread in the state.

According to her, power point presentation on COVID-19 was made  which dwelled more on causes, infection of the virus as well as preventive measures.

She said that the sensitisation maintained that Coronavirus “is an infectious disease caused by a new virus.

“The disease causes respiratory illness (like the flu) with symptoms such as cough, fever and in more severe cases, difficulty in breathing.

“You can protect yourself by washing your hands frequently, avoid touching your face, and avoid close contact, keep a space of at least two metres or three feet with people who are unwell.

“There is currently no vaccine to prevent Coronavirus disease (COVID-19). You can protect yourself and help prevent spreading the virus to others,” she advised.

Bukar-Gana emphasised the need for regular hand wash for 20 seconds with soap and water or alcohol-based hand rub, covering of nose and mouth with a disposable tissue or flexed elbow when coughing or sneezing.

Others, she said, are to avoid touching the eyes, nose or mouth with an unclean hand and stay at home and self-isolate from others in the household for those who return from abroad.

According to the statement, Health Educators from the State Ministry of Health gave practical demonstration of proper handwashing for 20 second technique using a bar soap or ash.

Addressing the Christian community, the task force leader and Commissioner for Health, Alhaji Jafar Muhammad, commended the Christian community for their understanding.

He appreciated them for instituting the act of social distancing, handwashing and temperature screening as preventive measures to curb COVID-19.

Muhammad informed them that the activities of the task force include providing isolation facilities and measures put in place to fight the pandemic, adding that there is no suspected case of the virus in the state.

The commissioner stressed the need for physical distancing and strict adherence to personal and environmental hygiene.

He appreciated the community for listening attentively with keen interest and requested all present to disseminate the message to their families, neighbours and business associates.

Responding, the CAN Chairman, Rev Dr. Ayuba Kanta, appreciated the governor’s wife as well as the task force for the timely foresight and proactive measures taken to prevent COVID-19 in the state.

“We feel very encouraged by the state government efforts,” he said.

A senior member on the association, Dr Micheal Ango, who is also a member of the task force, gave regular and encouraging updates on government’s efforts to the exco members.

He assured of their support in spreading the message to curb the pandemic.

The technical assistant further disclosed that the governor’s wife donated some hygiene gifts such as anti-bacterial bar soaps, sanitisers, detergent and food items to the churches visited.

“The exercise was attended by the Chairman, Kebbi State Task Force Committee on COVID-19 and Commissioner for Health, Alhaji Jaafar Muhammad, and other members, representatives and personnel from the office of the wife of the governor and Medicaid Cancer Foundation.”