*says autopsy should be carry out on dead bodies
*Provide PPE, drugs and foods to health workers, citizens
An epidemiologist and public health expert, Dr Ishaku Akyala has called on the Federal Government to shift the focus on the fight against covid-19 pandemic to Kano state.
He , however appealed to both Federal and Kano state Governments to as a matter of necessity establish diagnostic centres across Kano state to carry out aggressive testing of citizen against covid -19 pendemic.
Dr Akyala who is also a medical Laboratory scientist and virologist, in a statement made available also lamented over the high profile deaths recorded in the state in the last 24 hours due to an unknown diseases, advised that an autopsy be perform to ascertain the caused of the deaths before burial.
Akyala, a lecturer with the Nasarawa State University further advised that a strict enforcement of social distancing measure be ensure in the state to also avoid the further spread of the dreaded corona virus in the state.
According to him, though the caused of the deaths is yet to be determined, but there could be a thin line between the caused of the deaths and the covid-19 pandemic.
“I call on the Federal government to act now with all sense of urgency to mobilize resources to Kano to Perform Autopsy on all bodies before burial to ascertain the cause of dead
“Humane but strict enforcement of Social Distancing measures with the Provision of foodstuffs and palliatives to enable people to stay at home and suspend the total lockdown because that alone will promote overcrowding and disease transmission dynamics will be high in cases of Meningitis and Covid-19.
“Establish Diagnostic centers across Kano State and aggressive case finding by increasing testing and isolating those found positive, Provision of adequate PPEs to healthcare workers, Provision of adequate Drugs & Consumables to hospitals and Provision of more hospital & ICU bed spaces and Ventilators to hospitals and Employment of more healthcare workers like Nurses, Microbiologist, Biochemist and Community Health Extension Workers (CHEWS) to assist in contact tracing”.
Dr Akyala further called for an aggressive public education through religious and community leaders in the state on the need to adhere to the preventive measures against the pandemic.
“Aggressive public education with Active engagement of Traditional, Religious and community leaders
NCDC and FGN need to shift focus urgently to Kano, which possibly may become Nigeria’s next Covid-19 ground zero and investigate the spate of unexplained deaths”.