Osagie Ehanire
The Federal Government says a 14-man team comprising of health
experts with different areas of specialisation will leave for Kano State
on Saturday morning.
The Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, stated this on Friday evening
during a briefing by the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 in Abuja
monitored by The PUNCH via Channels TV.
The minister said the team of experts would complement the ongoing
efforts by the federal and state governments towards curbing the spread
of the coronavirus disease in the state.
He explained that frontline health workers in the response to
coronavirus management in Kano would be trained and retrained to
effectively manage the pandemic.
He saluted health workers nationwide on the occasion of the Workers’ Day
and urged them to continue to follow laid-down rules regarding case
management and response amid the pandemic.
He said, “I call on health workers and frontline personnel to
continue to follow laid down infection and control measures to protect
themselves and to treat every patient with care and with attention. But
please do not refuse anyone’s care.
“With regards to Kano, a multi-sectorial team of 14 specialists
comprising of persons from NCDC, National Primary Healthcare Development
Agency, the Department of Hospital Services, the Department of Family
Health, Infectious Disease Specialists will leave for Kano in the early
morning to support that state in all area of response.
“The main focus of the intervention is on training and capacity building
of state health care workforce along with their various specialties on a
very massive scale.
“On case management, medical, nursing, and clinic staff shall be trained or retrained.
“The National Primary Health Care Development Agency will engage its
extensive Kano State network to drive testing demand by grassroots
through community mobilisation so that NCDC strategy can be realised.”
The PUNCH reports that the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control as of
Thursday night said Kano recorded 80 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the
total infections confirmed in the state to 219 with zero recoveries but
five fatalities.