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COVID-19 pandemic: A monumental disaster unfolding in Kano
By Usman Yusuf
1. There is a disaster currently unfolding in Kano with rising death rates particularly among the elderly that is not getting the National attention it deserves.
2. While some may explain this increasing death rates to the lack of medical care for the chronically ill due to the lockdown (which in any case is poorly observed and enforced in Kano), we should not forget that these same preexisting medical conditions make the elderly more vulnerable to infection and death by Covid-19
3. Kano, the most populous city in Nigeria will if urgent measures are not taken now, become the epicenter of Covid-19 pandemic in the African continent.
4. I have always believed that based on the epidemiology of the virus, the population dynamics, negative socioeconomic factors, the state of healthcare and infrastructure in the city, Kano alone will have more positive cases than the whole country put together. But, because we were not testing, we did not find. We are now seeing more cases because the test center in Kano started working just two weeks ago.
5. On Monday April 20th, 2020, there was a news scroll on National Television Authority (NTA) captioned “100 people died in Kano from a strange illness”. Really?, what illness can be stranger than Covid-19 at this moment in our history, I asked?
6. Print and social media are also replete with hysterical headlines about the rising fatalities in the city.
7. There are first hand reports from many cemeteries in the city of steadily increasing burials which the state government initially denied but later said it would investigate.
8. Doctors in the Accident and Emergency Department (A&E) of the major teaching hospital in the city report that recently, almost 60% of all A&E visits are among adults with symptomatic respiratory infections with increasing fatality in those above 50 years of age.
9. To worsen things, most of the hospitals in the state are currently only partially functioning due to fear and uncertainty among healthcare workers who know very well that the hospitals can not cope with sick Covid-19 patients that will soon be coming.
10. The tragedy is that healthcare workers who are in the frontline and exposed daily to the mortal danger of this virus are not provided with any form of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
11. About two months ago, Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH) lost two brilliant Doctors in the prime of their lives and careers to Lassa Fever after operating on an infected pregnant patient.
12. This is the reason that the AKTH Chapter of the Association of Resident Doctors issued a statement on 20th April 2020 putting the hospital authorities on notice that they will stop seeing patients if they are not provided with adequate PPEs.
13. These Doctors are right in their demands which are enshrined and protected by the WHO rights of healthcare workers taking care of patients in any pandemic.
14. Doctors took an oath to protect and preserve lives not to commit suicide which is what knowingly seeing a Covid-19 patient without PPE will be.
15. Nigerians as a people should salute, speak up for, and protect our healthcare workers. These selfless men and women, some of the best among us are in the frontline all across the nation putting their lives on the line for us in this existential battle against this unseen enemy .
16. Sadly, the Kano State’s Task Force on Covid-19 is in disarray since several of its key members went into quarantine after testing positive for the virus, this vacuum in leadership has resulted in the very slow response and testing by the State’s Rapid Response team resulting in increasing fatality particularly among the elderly.
17. It is the socioeconomic consequences of this pandemic that scares me more than the virus itself. How well it is handled now will determine this outcome. Clearly, Kano city is in serious trouble and the political leadership is in dire need of help from the Federal government, it’s citizens and the whole nation.
18. A wise man once said “When disaster strikes, it tears the curtain away from the festering problems that we have beneath them,”
19. I call on the Federal government to act now with all sense of urgency by mobilizing resources to Kano to achieve the following remedies before it is too late.
(a). Humane but strict enforcement of Social Distancing measures
(b). Provision of foodstuffs and palliatives to enable people to stay at home
(c). Aggressive case finding by increasing testing and isolating those found positive
(d). Provision of adequate PPEs to healthcare workers
(e). Provision of adequate Drugs & Consumables to hospitals
(f). Provision of more hospital & ICU bed spaces
(g). Provision of Ventilators to hospitals
(h). Employment of more healthcare workers like Nurses and Community Health Extension Workers (CHEWS) to assist in contact tracing
(I). Aggressive public education
(j). All deaths should be reported and swabs taken for Covid-19 before burials
(k). Active engagement of Traditional, Religious and community leaders
20. WE ALL HAVE A DUTY TO PULL TOGETHER AND LOOK OUT FOR EACH OTHER AT THIS TRYING TIME
Yusuf is a Professor of Haematology-Oncology and Bone Marrow Transplantation
Ibrahim Khalil
Former Kano State Governor and national leader of the Kwankwasiyya Movement, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has expressed sadness over the death of former Managing Director of Radio Kano and Abubakar Rimi Television (ARTV), Alhaji Adamu Ibrahim Getso.
KANO FOCUS reports that Kwankwaso, in a condolence message posted on his Facebook account on Sunday, described the late Getso as a seasoned broadcaster and accomplished media professional whose contributions to public communication and media development left a lasting impact on Kano State.
The former governor recalled that Getso served with distinction as Managing Director of ARTV and later as Managing Director of Radio Kano during his two tenures as governor of the state.
According to Kwankwaso, the deceased played a significant role in advancing public information dissemination and strengthening the media sector in Kano.
“His immense contributions to public communication, media development, and the overall progress of Kano State will be remembered for generations,” he stated.
Kwankwaso extended his condolences to the family of the deceased, the people of Getso community in Gwarzo Local Government Area, the government and people of Kano State, and members of the media profession.
He prayed for Almighty Allah to forgive the shortcomings of the late media administrator, grant him eternal rest in Al-Jannah, and give his family and loved ones the strength to bear the loss.
Adamu Getso, a respected broadcaster and administrator, served in key leadership positions within Kano State-owned media organisations and was widely acknowledged for his contributions to the growth of broadcasting in the state. His death has continued to attract tributes from political leaders, journalists, and members of the public.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
Kano State Governor, Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf, has expressed deep sorrow over the death of former Managing Director of CTV 67 Television, now known as the Abubakar Rimi Television (ARTV), between 2000 and 2003, Alhaji Adamu Ibrahim Getso, who passed away on Saturday after a brief illness.
KANO FOCUS reports that the governor’s condolence message was conveyed in a statement issued by his spokesperson, Sunusi Bature Dawakin Tofa.
Governor Yusuf described the late Getso as a distinguished broadcaster, seasoned administrator, and dedicated public servant who devoted his life to the advancement of journalism, public enlightenment, and the promotion of societal values through the media.
According to the governor, the deceased was widely respected for his honesty, professionalism, and unwavering commitment to public service, qualities that earned him admiration from colleagues, government officials, and members of the public.
The governor recalled that after his appointment as Managing Director of CTV 67 Television, Getso served as the Managing Director of Radio Kano, between 2011 and 2015.
During his tenure, the late media administrator made significant contributions to the growth and development of television broadcasting in Kano State, Governor Yusuf noted.
He further stated that Getso later served as Managing Director of Radio Kano from 2011 to 2015, where he provided exemplary leadership and implemented reforms that strengthened the station’s position as one of the leading public broadcasting organisations in Northern Nigeria.
On behalf of the government and people of Kano State, Governor Yusuf extended his condolences to the family of the deceased, the management and staff of Radio Kano and ARTV, the Nigeria Union of Journalists, and the wider media community.
The governor prayed for the repose of the deceased’s soul and asked Almighty Allah to forgive his shortcomings, reward his good deeds with Aljannatul Firdaus, and grant his family, friends, former colleagues, and loved ones the strength to bear the loss.
KANO FOCUS reports that the death of Adamu Getso has been described by many as a significant loss to the media industry in Kano State and Nigeria at large, given his decades of service and contributions to the development of broadcasting.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
The NNPC Foundation, the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) arm of NNPC Limited, has donated a state-of-the-art 1.5 Tesla Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) machine to the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Dala, Kano State, in a move aimed at improving access to advanced diagnostic healthcare services.
KANO FOCUS reports that the MRI system was commissioned and officially handed over during a ceremony held at the hospital premises in Kano on Thursday.
According to a statement issued on Friday by the Chief Corporate Communications Officer of NNPC Limited, Andy Odeh, the intervention is part of the company’s commitment to strengthening healthcare infrastructure and expanding access to quality medical services across Nigeria.
The statement noted that the facility would significantly enhance the diagnosis and treatment of orthopaedic, neurological, trauma-related, musculoskeletal, and gynaecological conditions.
Before the donation, patients requiring advanced MRI diagnostic services often faced challenges, including long-distance travel, lengthy waiting periods, and delays in treatment due to limited availability and high costs.
Speaking at the event, the Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Limited, represented by the Managing Director of the NNPC Foundation, Mrs. Emmanuella Arukwe, said the donation aligns with the company’s broader objective of contributing to national healthcare development.
“At NNPC Limited, we are intentional about ensuring that our social investments are impactful, sustainable, and beneficial to the communities we serve. Through the NNPC Foundation, we will continue to implement interventions that create measurable social value across Nigeria,” she said.
Arukwe described the intervention as timely, noting that it would help address challenges associated with inadequate healthcare infrastructure, limited medical equipment, and the growing demand for specialised medical services.
Also speaking, the Executive Vice President, Business Services of NNPC Limited, Mrs. Sophia Mbakwe, represented by the Executive Director, Programme Management at the NNPC Foundation, Mrs. Rose Okonkwo, said the company remained committed to improving the lives of Nigerians beyond its core oil and gas operations.
She said the donation reflected NNPC Limited’s determination to deliver sustainable and impactful interventions, particularly for underserved and vulnerable populations.
“By this intervention, NNPC Limited aims to strengthen healthcare delivery and improve the quality of life of the people of Kano State, the North-West region, and all Nigerians who depend on the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Dala, for specialised medical care,” she stated.
Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, represented by the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Abubakar Labaran Yusuf, commended the NNPC Foundation for the donation, describing it as a major milestone in improving healthcare services through early and accurate diagnosis.
He noted that access to advanced diagnostic equipment would contribute significantly to better patient outcomes and improved healthcare delivery in the state and beyond.
In his remarks, the Chief Medical Director of the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Dala, Dr. Isa Nurudeen, expressed appreciation to NNPC Limited for the intervention.
He said the MRI machine would have a transformative impact on the hospital’s operations and significantly improve the quality of specialised healthcare services offered to patients.
The event was attended by officials of NNPC Limited, management and staff of the hospital, government representatives, healthcare professionals, community leaders, and other stakeholders.
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