The Zazzau Emirate Council has appealed to the people of the emirate to heed calls to protect themselves from Covid-19. The council, which disclosed that Covid-19 infections are rising in the emirate, called on people to abide by health protocols to prevent further spread of the virus.
Salenken Zazzau, Dr Abdulkadir Bello Salanke, who is the Chairman of Traditional Leaders Committee on Health, made this known at a sensitisation meeting which was organised by the emirate council over the weekend.
Dr. Salanke said that the meeting was called to further let people know that ‘’the virus is real and claiming lives.’’
He disclosed that the new COVID-19 treatment facility at Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH), Zaria, is being overwhelmed by the rising number of patients from Zazzau Emirate.
Briefing participants at the sensitisation meeting, Dr. Salanke thanked the Kaduna State Government for collaborating with ABUTH to provide a 20-bed facility for COVID-19 patients.
The traditional title holder called on the people of Zazzau Emirate to take personal responsibility to fight Covid-19. He said that adhering to personal hygiene, washing hands with soap and running water and wearing of face masks in public as well as maintaining physical distance are the ways to check coronavirus.
Dr. Salanke pointed out that there is little that the enforcement of lockdowns by security agents can do if people do not follow these protocols, adding that ‘’the virus is real and claiming lives.’’
According to Salanke, the Emir of Zazzau, Dr. Shehu Idris, decided to invite District Heads and religious leaders for the sensitisation meeting because they are closer to the people and they will help in reinforcing the message.
Earlier, Deputy Director of Kaduna State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Hamza Ibrahim Ikara, said that COVID-19 has spread to nine local government areas, including Igabi, Chukun, Kaduna North, Kaduna South, Zaria and Sabon Gari, as well as Soba, Giwa and Makarfi.
Ikara said that the sensitisation took place in Zaria, not because it has the highest number of cases per se, but because it is the headquarters of Zazzau emirate, which includes eight of the affected local government areas.
