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The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Caucus in the House of Representatives has demanded the extension of the lockdown in the Federal Capital Territory, Lagos and Ogun States for another two weeks from Monday, May 4. President Muhammadu Buhari had eased the lockdown effective from Monday, May 4 in a national broadcast last week.

But in a statement signed by its leader, Kinsley Chinda (PDP, Rivers), the Caucus described the decision by the federal government to relax lockdown on Monday, May 4 as unfortunate and unacceptable. The PDP Caucus said relaxing the lockdown will further aggravate the situation as the virus is likely to spread more beyond imaginations.

It called on the government to, within the two weeks extension, equitably distribute all necessary kits, make available the promised palliatives and distribute same equitably to all the States and FCT. It also challenged the Federal government to show genuine interest and commitment in getting universities and research institutes more involved in the search for solution. “Already, the situation in Lagos and Kano States is scary. These cases and more are enough to cause us even greater anxiety and concern.

“We also take cognisance of the fact that the President Buhari-led Federal Government would undoubtedly be failing very woefully in its responsibility of preserving the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) which he swore to defend and protect, which provides in Section 14(2) (b) that “the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government’.

“Equally important and compelling is the provision of Sections 17(3) (c) and (d) of the same Constitution. “Whereas Section 17(3) (c) provides that the State shall direct its policy towards ensuring that ‘the health, safety and welfare of all person in employment are safeguarded and not endangered or abused’, Section 17 (3)(d) provides that the State shall direct its policy towards ensuring that ‘there are adequate medical and health facilities for all persons,'” he said.

Chinda noted that, in the over six weeks of the pandemic, there was no clear government policy for public places like Markets, Work place, public transport etc. “Medical facilities are very inadequate. “Several States have no test centres and received no support whatsoever from the Federal Government despite humongous sums spent so far, both from public coffers and donations from individuals and organisation.

“It is somewhat difficult, obviously very surprising and disturbing to decipher the genuine reason behind the Federal Government’s sudden decision to relax the lockdown order in the midst of the prevailing and ravaging Covid-19 pandemic. “Taking into cognizance the experience of other countries where lockdown was prematurely relaxed,” the Caucus added.

It commended the attitude and stance of various State governments and the Nigerian Governors Forum in taking clear and decisive actions in the fight against COVID-19 in their respective States, and more importantly for the proactive stand of the Nigerian Governors Forum to contain spread of the virus in their domain.

*State Allows Markets 2 Days a Week
*Dangote Donates Testing Centre

Some patients with high fever in Kano State cannot access healthcare service because doctors are turning them away, Daily Trust has learnt. Aminu Muhammad, a resident of Gandun Albasa told Daily Trust on Sunday that his sick father was rejected at the Malam Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH) when he was taken for medical treatment. “I rushed my sick father to AKTH in a critical condition but, we were rejected on ground that there was no bed to admit him. When we first arrived at the Accident and Emergency Unit of the hospital, the doctor directed us to stay away from him,” Muhammad said.

“We waited for sometime before the doctor asked me some questions about the condition of my father. What annoyed me was that the doctor did not allow us close to him for him to examine my father. “Rather, he placed a chair about six meters away from him and when I told him that my father was suffering from high fever, he ordered us to leave the hospital that they do not have bed to admit him. I took him to Nassarwa Hospital and it was the same story. “Finally, he was admitted at Murata Muhammad Specialist Hospital and my father passed on after three days at Murata Muhammad hospital,” he said.

Others spoken to however mentioned other factors, such as overcrowding at the hospitals, as the cause of their predicament. Alhaji Ibrahim Habibu, a resident of Nassarawa GRA told Co that he recently took his older brother to Nassarawa Hospital for medical attention only to find the hospital’s A&E unit crowded with patients. “Despite the crowd, my brother was not rejected. He was attended to by doctors. He was given three drips before he was referred to Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital where he finally passed on.

At both Nassarawa and Murtala Hospital, he was attended to by doctors. Contrary to speculations, nobody rejects him at the two hospitals,” he said. Alhaji Aminu Muhammad, a resident of Gwale in Kano city told Daily Trust on Sunday that the situation is becoming alarming as many people are dying due lack of access to healthcare.

He said three elderly persons died in his area on the way to hospital last week Thursday, saying, “The sick persons were rushed to Murtala Mohammed Specialist Hospital but eventually died before arriving at the hospital.”

Last week some bereaved families told Daily Trust that their relatives were on outpatient visitations to hospitals for various ailments but with the lockdown in force, coupled with the coronavirus scare at private health facilities, the deceased had some disruptions that kept them from accessing medical care, which might have resulted in their deaths.

Billionaire Aliko Dangote has donated a mobile laboratory able to handle 400 samples daily to augment the testing capacity in Kano state. Governor Abdullahi Ganduje revealed this on Saturday during a press briefing organised by the state taskforce on covid-19 which took place at the Africa House in Kano. He disclosed that the test centre, with daily capacity of taking 400 samples, is expected to arrive Kano Monday.

According to Ganduje, “As we are targeting more Testing Centres in the state, the richest man in Africa, Alhaji Aliko Dangote is donating Mobile Testing Centre with the capacity of testing 400 people daily. The facility is coming to Kano in the next two days, by Monday.”

He lamented about the rising cases of positive COVID-19 patients in the state, describing it as “a thing of great concern.” He said, “Though we are aware that with the bouncing back of the Aminu Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital Testing Centre with the capacity of 88 samples per day, and the coming up of another Testing Centre at Bayero University, Kano, with the capacity of 20 samples per day, would mean another rise in the identified positive cases.”

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