TheCable

Abdullahi Ganduje, governor of Kano state, says the federal government is not giving the state enough attention in the fight against COVID-19.

In an interview with the BBC Hausa Service on Monday, the governor said the state is not getting the needed support of the presidential task force on COVID-19.

He said there is a shortage of sample collection equipment, and that the laboratory in the state is not functioning.

“We are in a serious problem. I can tell you the situation is really bad and scary. Because what we solely rely upon in fighting the disease is the testing centre,” Ganduje said.

“There is also a shortage of sample collection equipment. It is not common equipment that you can go and buy in the market. Those whose samples were collected are still waiting to know their fate.

“The problem is with the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19. Even its Director-General was in Kano. He spent a night here but we have not heard from him again. The Minister of Health is also aware that the laboratory is not functioning.

“There is a serious problem. We have been complaining that Kano needs more than one testing centre, right from the beginning of this.

“Sincerely speaking, we are not getting deserved attention. If these equipment are under our control, we will do our best to make sure it works properly. But we are not getting the needed support and co-operation from the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19.”

In the past one week, the state has recorded multiple deaths, with Sabitu Shaibu, deputy head of the state task force on COVID-19 putting the toll at 640.

Shaibu attributed the strange deaths to hypertension, acute malaria, and diabetes.