* To establish ICUs, isolation centres in states, FCT

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation and Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, Boss Mustapha, yesterday identified lack of adequate manpower for surveillance and contact tracing as “the key weakness” of Kano COVID-19 response.

The SGF, alongside the Minister of Health and the Director-General of Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, was briefing members of the House of Representatives on the progress being made by the task force in the fight against the pandemic in the country.

Mustapha told the lawmakers that Kano was fast emerging as the epicentre of the COVID-19 pandemic in the north.

He said the government would establish one sample collection centre and assigned two facilitators in all the 44 local government areas of Kano State.

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“We’ve deployed a technical team of 41 staff from NCDC supported by 17 staff from WHO to provide technical assistance to the State Emergency Operations Centre.

“A team of clinicians and public health experts under the auspices of the Federal Ministry of Health is also in Kano to provide training on case management and strengthen the capacity of the state to handle emergencies,” he said.

He said the PTF had mobilised resources from across the health sector, including multilaterals, bilateral, MDAs and the private sector to push through an accelerated expansion of the rapid response teams from 21 to 50.

“The federal government will in due course announce significant additional material and technical resources to complement the state government’s efforts in combating the COVID-19 pandemic in Kano,” he said.

Mustapha also disclosed that the Federal Government would establish Intensive Care Units and isolation centres in all the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

“As I’ve often said, the virus has come to disrupt and destroy our health and wealth. The impact of the outbreak is summed up vividly by the disruption to the global economy and to healthcare systems that were hitherto regarded as standard and stable.

He urged the National Assembly to develop a strong legislative framework to prepare Nigeria for future pandemics, stressing the need to “update” the Quarantine Act due to the unique nature of emerging infections, including COVID-19.

“The post-COVID-19 era is going to be a challenging one. As a country, we need to prepare for what will be major changes to our long-term social interactions, events, personal contacts and economic prospects.

Just as important is the need to provide a strengthened legislative framework for dealing with future public health emergencies in a changing world.

“Our nation is at war against a very dangerous, unseen and ubiquitous enemy and all hands must be on deck to successfully prosecute the war,” the SGF said.