Ganduje: We started COVID-19 response on shaky foundation — Kano is in trouble

Abdullahi Ganduje, governor of Kano, says the state is in trouble over the outbreak of COVID-19.

Kano has recorded the second highest number of COVID-19 cases in the country with 342 patients.

The state government has been criticised for not doing much to curb the spread of the disease in Kano.

Speaking at the presentation of a mobile testing centre donated by the Dangote Foundation, the governor said from the outset, the state faced challenges in testing.

Ganduje said challenges in testing led to the escalation of the number of cases in the state.

“There is no doubt that Kano is in trouble. And there is no doubt that we started on a shaky foundation,” he said.

“When samples were taken to Abuja for seven hours and came back again in seven hours, that was the shaky foundation I am talking about.

“We then lodged complaints to President Muhammadu Buhari, who ordered for the establishment of a Testing Centre at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, which after take-off was shut down for some days if not weeks. That was what escalated the transmission of the disease up to community transmission.

“With the coming back of the AKTH Testing Centre and the addition of Bayero University, Kano that has the capacity of testing about 200 samples per day now, with the coming of Dangote Mobile Testing Centre of 400 samples capacity, we are making headway in facing the crisis squarely.”

On his part, Chikwe Ihekweazu, director-general of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), said his agency has not abandoned Kano.

“I want to assure you that, by the time we hear from the findings of Dr Nasiru Sani Gwarzo’s team from the Presidential Task Force, for the days they have been here, we will have more solutions that we will use in solving the problems from Kano,” he said.