Nasiru Yusuf

A group of Kano elders under the leadership of Bashir Tofa has described Kano state government’s response against COVID-19 as “ineffective”.

The group tagged “Kano Against COVID-19 Initiative” is a composition of technocrats, bureaucrats, politicians, academics, lawyers community leaders and civil society activists.

In a statement signed by Mr Tofa on behalf of other members of the group and sent to KANO FOCUS on Thursday, the elders described the situation in Kano as “worrisome, if not alarming.”

The statement observed that “There is inadequate preparation at the state level and control measures were ineffective. There was lack of clear messaging to the citizens.”

The elders expressed dismay with what they described as “discordant tunes coming from some religious and community leaders expressing doubts about the existence of the disease.”

According to the statement, the coronavirus disease in Kano “now appears to be in a full scale community transmission with many deaths recorded in the last two to three weeks”

The elders lamented that the crisis within the state’s Task Force on COVID-19 after some of its members became infected with the coronavirus had caused a set back in the management of the pandemic.

It was in this context that Kano stakeholders and community leaders came together in a citizen initiative – Kano Against Covid-19 to determine how best to assist in contributing to an effective strategy for dealing with the Covid-19 outbreak in Kano:

1. Engage in advocacy and mobilization along the three tiers of government, within the community, the private sector, civil society and international partners to combat the pandemic.
2. Identity the key problems and challenges that bedevil the efforts to curb the spread of COVID-19 In the State.
3. Develop an intervention logic practices with the competencies and capacity to address the problem and challenges identified.
4. Develop a framework on how to engage collectively to contribute to a better strategy of curtailing and containing the spread of the virus in Kano.
5. Provide a strategy that adequately prepares for the post-covid era, in Kano.

The elders, according to the statement, have met with the National Coordinator of the Presidential Task Force on Covid-19 (PTF) Dr Sani Aliyu and Head of Ministerial Committee to Kano Nasir Gwarzo, along with his colleague, Mukhtar Mohammed.

To this end, the elders advocated for expanding testing and the provision of more testing centres and kits.

The provision of more bed spaces for isolation, holding areas and case management of patients and the unified management protocols for all COVID patients in the state, the group recommended.

“A significant number of medical personnel have become infected so there is urgent need for the procurement and delivery of sufficient PPEs for their protection.

“Most medical centres in the State have stopped admitting patients for non-covid-19 infections and a system of triage, sorting and provision of telemedicine facilities should be introduced urgently to ensure medical care for all sick persons.

“Urgent measures to provide for the welfare of Advocacy for health care workers- comprising remuneration, accommodation, adequate protection and Health Insurance.

“Establishment of a joint task force consisting of the members of the current State Task Force and representation from AKTH and NOH Dala – for improved synergy and coordination and for unified decisions and synergy in the implementation of strategies.”

The governing council of Kano Against COVID-19 has Alhaji Bashir Tofa as chairman with Abba Dabo, M. Y. Bello, (VC, BUK), Shamsuddeen Usman (former minister of National Planning) and Fatima Mukhtar (VC, FUD) as members.

Other members are Fatima Abdulrahman, Isyaku Tofa (Danadalan Bichi), Sule Yahaya-Hamma, A. B. Mahmoud, and Auwalu Yadudu.

Whil the steering committee has Jibrin Ibrahim as chairman with A B Mahmoud, Awwalu Yadudu and Mohammed Tabiu as members.

Others are Maryam Uwais, Mahmoud Sani, Aisha Oyebode, Amal Hassan and Y. Z. Ya’u.