On the marching order of President Muhammadu Buhari, the Presidential Task Force PTF, the delegation has arrived in Kano on Tuesday and met with Governor Abdullahi Ganduje at the Government House, Kano.
The leader of the Presidential Task Force PTF delegation Nasiru Gwarzo said: “President Muhammadu Buhari directed them to be in Kano and find out what the state needs for containing the COVID-19 pandemic.”
“President said we must do everything possible to support, reinforce and mobilise support, even beyond the nation. Your Excellency, on the Special Committee, sent to Kano to work with the state government are experts in public health and other areas, ” Mr Gwarzo said.
Governor Ganduje thanked President Buhari for coming to the aid of the state at this critical time.
He commended the efforts of the President also reiterated his call for more testing centres in the state, while promised to give the team full support.
“We need more testing centres in the state, and the extension of Isolation Centres is absolutely necessary because there is this fear of community transmission. And, we need more sample collection areas. In all the 44 local governments, we must have multiple collection centres,” he said.
Also speaking the pioneer DG of NCDC, Abdulsalam Nasidi, said they were not in Kano to compete or to replace any existing structure but to reinforce already existing structures in the state.
He noted that he was pleased to come home, “Kano, when my people need me the most. We all know that Kano is not in denial at all. The state believes that the pandemic must be fought from all angles.”
According to Mr Nasidi, a Professor of Infectious Diseases, the Presidential Task Force has confidence in Mr Ganduje, therefore, need the cooperation of other people, like traditional institutions, scholars, community leaders, among others.
On her part, the director, health services, Federal Ministry of Health, Bimpe Adebiyi, said she was impressed about how passionate the governor was in healthcare service delivery in the state, even before the COVID-19 pandemic.
Kano COVID-19 testing centre, domiciled at Malam Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, hosts many Northern states’ suspected cases, has been suspended for days.