OVER 30 health workers in the frontline of the battle against the rampaging coronavirus in Kano State have been reportedly infected with the novel virus, the Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) has revealed.
CITAD, in a statement on Saturday signed by Ali Sabo, its Campaigns and Communication Officer, quoted the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) to have reported that the infected health workers are spread between the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital and National Orthopedic Hospital, Dala in the course of their duties.
CITAD stated that an independent investigation it carried out indicate that few hospitals in the metropolis are battle ready with the required medical kits. “In Kano alone, our investigation has revealed that few among the hospitals in the state are ready and supplied with necessary equipment.
“In the investigation we carried out, only Malam Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital; National Orthopedic Hospital, Dala; Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital, Muhammad Abdullahi Wase Teaching Hospital and Sir Muhammad Sunusi Specialist Hospital have some of the covid-19 protective materials and adhering to the preventive measures as advised by World Health Organization. Even in these hospitals, materials such as protective kits and oxygen therapy are grossly inadequate,” Sabo said in the statement, adding that though these materials are globally inadequate due to the high demands, there is the need for the state government to redouble its efforts to get more for health workers to empower them to effectively discharge their duties.
CITAD called on the state government to among other things, provide all the major hospitals in the state with adequate Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) as this will give the health workers more courage in discharging their duties; train more health personnel and post them to all the major hospitals across the state so as to reduce overcrowding of patients in the inner city, and ensure the prompt payment of salaries and allowances of health personnel in order to boost their morale.
CITAD also called on the state government to quickly conclude negotiation with health sector unions on enhanced hazard allowance to standards obtained in other states, and to quickly expand available spaces for isolation of coronavirus patients.
According to CITAD, Kano State, which currently has over 400 confirmed cases, however has a total isolation capacity of about 270 bed spaces.
