As cases of COVID-19-related deaths continue to rise in Kano, the state government is contemplating the adoption of house-to-house testing of residents, in order to curb the community spread of the disease in the state.
Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje disclosed this Monday while receiving a pledged donation of N2 billion, five ambulances and 20 Hilux vans from the BUA Foundation.
Ganduje said the initiative would enhance contact tracing and testing of the people with COVID-19 to speed up treatment and reduce community transmission of the disease.
According to him, the adoption of the new strategy is the result of the decision made by the state government and its partners to open 100 collection centres within the eight metropolitan Local Government Areas (LGAs).
He pointed out that the testing centres will be situated in each of 44 LGAs of the state, noting that each will get at least one collection centre, as part of the efforts to ensure testing adequately for the Coronavirus.
The governor described the donations as timely and impressive, adding that they would go a long way in addressing the needs required to fight COVID-19.
Presenting the donations, Abdulsamad Isyaku Rabiu, Chairman of the Foundation, who is also the chairman of the BUA Group, represented by the former minister of state for foreign affairs, Aliyu Idi Hong, disclosed that the donation was part of the Foundation’s support in the fight against COVID-19 in the state.
Hong said the chairman would have loved to be present during the presentation but was held up in Lagos with other tight schedules, noting that the business mogul who hails from Kano is making plans to visit the state personally.
The former minister said the BUA Foundation would make the N2 billion available for a COVID-19 related project once identified.
Nigeria on Monday recorded 245 new patients of COVID-19, taking the country’s total to 2,802, according to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control NCDC). Out of that number, Kano had 23, raising the state’s total to 365.
