Segun Babatunde in Bauchi
Bauchi State Government on has commenced distribution of 700,000 free face masks to the most vulnerable members of the society.
The state Governor, Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed who launched the distribution exercise held at Multipurpose Indoor Sports Hall Bauchi Thursday, said the distribution of the locally produced face masks is to assist in tackling the spread of COVID-19 at community level.
The Governor said it is incumbent on the part of the government to take every measure to contain further spread of the novel coronovirus in the state.
He mentioned some of the measures taken by the government to include among others, prompt isolation of confirmed cases, active surveillance, contact tracing, risk Communications strategy and provision of 3 square meals to all isolated patients.
To this end, Governor Bala Mohammed said the administration has concluded arrangement to commence active community testing of coronovirus in the three Local Government Areas of Bauchi, Kirfi and Bogoro.
He said, based on the strategy, a minimum of 100 people will be tested every day so as to ensure the virus is not hided in any part of the state.
According to him, the step is line with the NCDC guidelines of testing people to ensure that the virus is total eradicated in the community thereby assisting the state to be certified COVID-19 free.
” I am pleased to welcome you all to this very important occasion to herald the distribution of 700,000 face masks to beneficiaries in our effort to reduce the spread of the COVID-19 in the state.”
“Let me say from the onset, the programme today was planned for the initial distribution of one million face masks. The challenges of space and logistics can only permit 700,000.”
“The more we use these face masks, the less likelihood we will be in contracting the disease, let me remind us that, we are still under the grave threat of this disease.”
The Governor who spoke through his Deputy, Senator Baba Tela reiterated the commitment of his administration towards the providing qualitative healthcare services to the citizens of the state.
On his part, the Chairman of the State COVID-19 Palliative Committee and Emir of Bauchi, Dr Rilwanu Suleimanu Adamu while commending the state government for the gesture, said it will go along way in encouraging its usage by the beneficiaries. END