Wife of the Kebbi governor, Dr Zainab Shinkafi Bagudu, has observed that the current outbreak of the dreaded coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, is a wake up call for the reexamination of the nation’s health and educational systems.
Speaking at an interactive session with a cross section of media practitioners in Birnin Kebbi on Tuesday, she stressed that the bitter lessons that were being learned as a result of the pandemic, should make the country restructure its health systems.
According to a statement by the Spokesperson to governor Bagudu, Yahaya Saraki said the First Lady appealed to the general public to support and cooperate with government on measures put in place to curtail the spread of Coronavirus pandemic.
“There are myriad of lessons to learn and use from this pandemic. These are bitter lessons that we need to take away.
“For instance, the issue of sanitizers, which are in short supply, while the prices have skyrocketed, with few companies producing them. Sanitizers are really very crucial and they are very scarce in the rural areas. This obnoxious trend must be stopped.
“There are cries for not only sanitizers, but high-tech equipment, like ventilators,” she stressed.
Dr Zainab also lamented that more youths from the North West must be enrolled to study more medical, science and technology courses.
“In the same vein, there is the urgent need to shore up the number of medical doctors. The North West has only 4,000 Doctors, while the South West has 15,000. We have to think about building human capacities. It’s a whole systemic failure,” she emphasized.
Dr Bagudu lauded the state governor, Atiku Bagudu for spearheading the fight against the pandemic by setting up a Task Force and fully funding it.
She also acknowledged that the measures so far taken by the state government had fully paid up as Kebbi has remained COVID-19 free, assuring, “this enviable status would be sustained.”
Bagudu further expressed delight that traditional rulers, wives of commissioners, local government chairmen and female councillors, are positively and patriotically collaborating to help in effectively preventing the pandemic.
“We will never be complacent and my husband and I and all stakeholders, will be committed to ensure that Kebbi remained COVID-19 free.
She appealed to businessmen and women not to hike prices of their goods and services at this trying period the state and country is going through.
Meanwhile, Dr Bagudu, in collaboration with the Federation of Muslim Women Associations of Nigeria (FOMWAN), has organised a sensitization campaign, to further create awareness on COVID-19.
The campaign was organized for officials of the Association in the 21 local government areas.
The sensitization focused on, among other issues, the spread of the dreaded COVID-19, preventive measures such as personal and environmental hygiene and hand washing.
She also distributed hand sanitizers to them, while the highlights of the program included video shows on preventive measures against COVID-19.
A similar sensitization campaign will also be carried to the Christian Women faithfuls in Churches across the state.
