As the incidence of Covid-19 continues to mount in Northern Nigeria, the administration of Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje in Kano State, has denied the on-going claim that it dumped infected Almajiri kids, on its neighbouring state of Kaduna.
The Ganduje administration said none of the 155 Almajirai it evacuated to Kaduna carries Covid-19, arguing that evacuees were fully screened medically and were well profiled before they were moved out of the state.
The Kaduna State commissioner for health, Amina Mohammed-Baloni, had last Thursday said the new cases were Almajiri kids that returned to the state from Kano, noting that the test results returned positive from the samples of 40 of them tested.
However, Sanusi M. Sa`id Kiru, state commissioner for education, who doubles as the chairman of a special task force in charge of the Almajiri evacuation, while speaking exclusively to BDSUNDAY, disclosed that the preliminary test run on the Almajiri kids before they were repatriated from Kano indicated that none of them were carrier of Covid-19 virus.
“We are surprised by what we are hearing from Kaduna government about the Almajiri kids evacuated to the state. It was yesterday that I received a WhatsApp message from the Kaduna State Commissioner for Religious Affairs, complaining that five of the Almajiri children repatriated to the state tested positive for Covid-19.
“I then asked her to send me the forms containing detailed preliminary information about the five involved persons, and she only sent in those of three. The next thing we are hearing in the media was the issue of the 16 Almajiri kids.
“Honestly, the issue is strange to me, because the first thing that we usually do before any of the Almajiri is repatriated was to screen them healthwise; I have a copy of the entry forms here, I can show you a copy. Honestly, this issue is strange to us.
“And I think there is nothing to be surprised about because, if these children later tested positive for Covid-19, when they get to Kaduna. Anybody can be infected with the disease at anything,” Sanusi stated.
The commissioner said it was disheartening that some people are trying to make issue out of the incidence, noting that the matter of Almajiri evacuation was started by the current administration in Kaduna State.
“This issue is very disheartening because the whole matter of almajiri repatriation was started by the Kaduna State Government, which first moved about 2000 Almajiri from the state to Kano without proper handing over to us.
“The 155 we evacuated to the state, were properly screened, profiled and well documented before we handed them over,” Sanusi pointed out.
Amina Mohammed –Baloni, Kaduna state commissioner for health, had argued that one of the 17 cases announced by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) last Wednesday was a repeat test from an existing patient and that the agency has been notified of that.
“The Kaduna State Ministry of Health has confirmed the sad news that there are 16 new COVID-9 cases in the state. These new cases are Almajiri who came from Kano,” she said.
“Their test results returned positive from a sample of 40 persons whose test results were released today. These latest cases have raised the number of active COVID-19 cases in Kaduna state from nine to 25.
“The high number of positive results from persons with travel history from outside the state confirm the Kaduna State Government’s fears about the danger of infection from neighboring states and the role of interstate travel in facilitating the spread of COVID-19 across state lines.
“One of the 17 cases announced by NCDC was a repeat test from an existing patient. Their attention has been drawn to it and it will be remedied.”
The commissioner added that health officials are monitoring suspected COVID-19 cases believed to have sneaked into the state despite the ban on inter-state travel.
She asked residents of the state to report returnees from states with high infection rates to health officials and to maintain high level of personal hygiene.
She said: “The Ministry of Health wishes to draw the attention to the appeal the State Standing Committee on COVID-19 has made to the security agencies to accelerate the blocking of entry points into the state. Effective enforcement of the prohibition of entry into Kaduna State as outlined in the Quarantine Orders is clearly a key success factor in efforts to avert the nightmare scenarios of community transmission.
“We wish to draw the attention of the public to the provisions of the Quarantine Orders and the penalties for any willful contravention. We appeal to the public to be vigilant and to kindly report returnees from states with high infection rates by contacting officials of the Ministry of Health. We also encourage such persons to contact the ministry officials so they can be monitored.
“Failure to do so may make such persons liable to the processes prescribed for violators in the Quarantine Orders.
“The general public is reminded of the importance of hand washing, personal hygiene. Social distancing and the avoidance of large gatherings in helping protect us all from COVID19. It is important to stay home, stay safe and save lives.”
Meanwhile, the Northern Elders Forum has decried attempts by many State Governments to play politics with numbers for what appears to be expectations that more funds from the federal government and foreign donors will be allocated to them in the fight against the spread of COVID-19.
This was contained in a statement issued on Thursday and signed by Convener, Northern Elders Forum Professor Ango Abdullahi.
According to the statement, it is public knowledge that what the entire nation needs are good policies that protect all Nigerians; equipment and facilities for testing and treatment and resources to support people who will find it hard to stay at home without some palliatives.
The statement added that these requirements can be met with resources currently available, but they need to be put at the service of the public in a transparent and professional manner.
It further stresses that, policies that waste progress in some parts of the country and others which trample on the rights of vulnerable groups must be discouraged and that states should adopt policies that suit their peculiarities, but the nation as a whole must agree on, and implement basic policies that protect the entire population.
On Kano’s issue, the statement stated that the forum commends the decision to deploy a strong medical team too, among others, verify the causes of many deaths that are being popularly attributed to the pandemic, as well as assist the government of Kano State to improve its facilities, investigations and treatment of suspected infections and those who are infected.
“We further commend the decision of the federal government to source for equipment’s and facilities on behalf of the Kano State government and we urge that this is done with speed and openness,” it said.
Adeola Ajakaiye, in Kano
