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Kano lacks adequate manpower for surveillance, contact tracing – PTF
Adelani Adepegba, Leke Baiyewu, Tobi Aworinde, Dayo Ojerinde, Tukur Muntari, Chima Azubuike and Armstrong Bakam
The Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 at the House of Representatives on Tuesday said Kano State had become the epicentre of coronavirus in the North.
The PTF Chairman and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha; who led other members of the task force, including the Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire; Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, disclosed this while briefing the House on the war against the virus in the country.
He said Kano State lacked adequate manpower for surveillance and contact tracing.
Also on Tuesday, the Lagos State Government said it was battling with a shortage of reagents. The Federal Capital Territory on its part said it was facing a shortage of test kits.
In March, there was no COVID-19 case in Kano State, but since April 11 when it recorded its index case, there has been a surge in the number of persons infected with the virus.
Currently, the state with 365 cases is second only to Lagos State with 1,183 cases as of 5pm on Tuesday.
Mustapha expressed concern over the spread of the disease in Kano State. “Kano is fast emerging as the epicentre of the COVID-19 pandemic in the North, which necessitated Mr President’s specific directives in his broadcast of Monday, 27th April, 2020,” he said.
The President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), in the broadcast, imposed a total lockdown on the state and also dispatched a team of experts to help curb COVID-19 spread.
Kano lacks adequate manpower for surveillance, contact tracing – PTF
The SGF on Tuesday, said, “A key weakness of the Kano COVID-19 response is the lack of adequate manpower for surveillance and contact tracing. The PTF has mobilised resources from across the health sector, including multilaterals, bilaterals, the MDAs and the private sector, to push through an accelerated expansion of the rapid response team from 21 to 50.”
“Working with partners, we are establishing at least one sample collection centre and two facilitators per local government area. In addition to a seven-day motorised campaign across major urban areas in Kano. We have mobilised about 3300 informants through the WHO (World Health Organisation)/polio programme for house-to-house search and reporting of suspected cases.
“The Federal government will in due course announce significant additional material and technical resources to complement the state government’s efforts in combating the COVID-19 pandemic in Kano.”
PTF seeks updating of Quarantine Act
He also called for updating of Quarantine Act.
“The current Quarantine Act needs to be updated due to the unique nature of emerging infections such as COVID-19, the dramatic impact this has on sectors beyond just health and the urgency required to deal with such pandemic,” he stated.
…Social distancing abuse due to indiscipline – SGF
Mustapha urged Nigerians to ‘own’the fight against COVID-19, saying countries where the citizens were disciplined obey rules on social distancing and the face mask use.
He said, “Truly, we have got to the level or stage of personal responsibility. This is where we have got to now. We must take personal responsibility for our safety, our lives and those of our loved ones. This is not the time to expect government or the National Assembly to take responsibility for us. At individual level, this is the time that we must own up.
“What happens subsequently will be dependent on what we do as a people and as a nation. The issue of social distancing should not be imposed by police, there are other countries disciplined enough. Taiwan didn’t lock down for even one day. But gradually they flattened the curve as a result of social distancing and the wearing of masks
…Gbajabiamila tackles NCDC boss over criticism of Reps bill
The Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila, tackled the NCDC boss, Chikwe Ihekweazu, asking him to explain his criticism of the the controversial Quarantine Act (Repeal and Enactment) Bill 2020, popularly referred to as ‘NCDC Bill.’
The speaker, who urged the lawmakers to allow him to pose the first “burning questions” to the NCDC boss.
He said, “You also purportedly said that no one consulted you. I will like a clarification on those two statements.”
Gbajabiamila made reference to the points made by Mustapha in his earlier speech that the parliament was needed to review the Quarantine Act and create legal frameworks for disease control and management.
…Present a new infectious disease bill, NCDC boss tells lawmakers
Responding, Ihekweazu admitted that he said he was not consulted on the bill, adding that he was looking forward for a new infectious disease bill
“I think that I speak for the PTF, my honourable minister and every member of our team – that we look forward to a new infectious disease bill, in fact a new public health bill that brings together the functions of all the agencies.”
Not satisfied with the response, Gbajabiamila asked if the amendments should be done after the pandemic. The NCDC boss said, “It is not a question that I can answer right now.”
The Minister of Health, Ehanire, while responding to a question on clinical trial of drugs and vaccines, said the government had already begun application of drugs in the treatment of patients in Lagos and Abuja.
He said, “Yes, we are participating in clinical trials and these trials involve pharmaceuticals. In Lagos and Abuja, we are using things, which the WHO set up, a system called solidaity, to study the efficacy of certain drugs in treating COVID-19. Among them are hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin, which were said to have been successful in some countries, though we didn’t see the impact. Chloroquine and artemether, I’m sure, will be among them.
“We are not doing vaccine tests. We are not enrolled in any vaccine trials because the processes have not been developed enough for them to be safe. Once they are developed well enough, we may consider taking part.”
The health minister also noted that some of the patients kept in isolation centres did not require medications.
Ehanire also said the government had not ruled out the possibility of using local herbs to fight the disease. He, however, stated that the Nigeria Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development must first certify the efficacy of such local drugs.
He said while government was not ruling out the possibility of using local herbs for the disease, those who claim to have found cures should subject their drugs to test by the NIPRD.
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