Press Release

Kebbi State Government says it is increasing sample collection and laboratory testing on Covid 19 in order to mitigate the impact of the pandemic.

The Commissioner of Health, Jafar Muhammad stated this in Birnin Kebbi on Monday while declaring open a training workshop organised by the Ministry for health personnel in the state with the theme ‘ Kebbi State Ramp Up Testing of Covid -19 Program.

He said ‘ We deem it fit to ramp up sample collection and lab testing with a view to significantly increase effective control measures of the pandemic ‘.

According to him , testing in all the 21 local government areas to the tune of 450 samples would be carried out within two weeks in the Ramp Up Testing of Covid 19 Program in the state .

‘ This is going to take place within period of two weeks so that it will enable us collect samples and test these samples, from the testing we will have an idea on the spread of Covid 19 generally in the state ‘, he averred.

He said the decision to increase testing of the pandemic in the state was to keeping abreast of level of spread in accordance with the stipulation of the Nigerian Disease Center and Control .

Hon Jafar emphasized that the state government has place premium on fighting the spread of the pandemic in the state which made it necessary to ramp up testing among the people to detecting those carrying the virus for treatment.

He appealed to local government Councils to cooperate with health workers as well as enlighten their communities about the program to ensuring success.

The Commissioner while calling on the health workers to discharge their duties deligently, thanked governor Abubakar Atiku Bagudu for giving the Task Force all the necessary support for the effective discharge of its mandate.

In his presentation on Covid 19 update of the state, the Director Public Health, Abubakar Bagudu Muhammad announced that Kebbi State recorded three hundred and six positive cases to date with minimal fatalities.

The Permanent Secretary and Chief Medical Director of Sir Yahaya Memorial Hospital, Birnin Kebbi, Dr. Aminu Haliru Bunza made a presentation on Infection Prevention and Control for Covid 19.

He described the state as among the best performers in the control of the pandemic in Nigeria.The doctor pointed out that only three hundred and six positive cases were recorded in the state with minimal death in a population of more than four million People.

He charged the both the health workers and the populace to uphold the practice of Covid 19 protocols at all times.

The training workshop was attended by the Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Health, Hassan Ibrahim Maigandi, Dr.Abubakar Abubakar Koko, the Chief Medical Director of Kebbi Medical Center, Kalgo, Directors of Health in the Ministry, Directors of Health of the 21 LGAs, Disease Surveillance officers of the 21 LGAs and Risk Communication Team of Kebbi State Emergency Center.

Signed,

YAHAYA SARKI
Special Adviser (SA) Media to Kebbi State Governor
15/2/2021