Kano begins verbal autopsy over ‘strange deaths’

Abdullahi Ganduje, governor of Kano, has directed the state ministry of health to carry out “verbal autopsy” of those who lost their lives recently in the state.

Verbal autopsy is a method of gathering information about symptoms and circumstances that led to the death of an individual in order to determine the probable cause of death in cases where there was no medical record or formal medical attention given.

Amid the coronavirus pandemic, multiple deaths were recorded in Kano but Sabitu Shaibu, deputy head of the state task force on COVID-19, attributed the deaths to diabetes, hypertension, acute malaria and others.

In a statement made available to TheCable, Muhammad Garba, the state commissioner for information, said officials from the state ministry of health and the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) have been drafted to eight local government areas of the state to perform the autopsy.

“I am pleased to inform the good people of Kano state that verbal autopsy to determine the real cause of the deaths of our citizens who lost their lives over the weekend has begun in earnest,” the statement read.

“Following the directive of the Governor, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, health experts from the state Ministry of Health and the NCDC have been drafted to visit the families and relatives of the dead so as to trace their medical history, with a view to ascertain what really led to their deaths.”

According to the commissioner, the state ministry of health is also working round the clock to ensure adequate availability of drugs for common ailments such as malaria, typhoid fever, meningitis, among others.

He called for calm and urged residents to continue to adhere strictly to the advice from health experts on how to avoid COVID-19.

“Our primary healthcare system has also been re-activated across the 44 Local Government Areas to guarantee easy access to healthcare delivery, even as we continue to battle the dreaded COVID-19 pandemic,” he said.

“At this point, all of us must come together, irrespective of religious and political affiliations, to overcome these health challenges facing our great state.

“We solicit for the cooperation of religious leaders, political leaders, opinion leaders, community leaders, traditional rulers, and every other stakeholder to enlighten our people on the need to stay safe and stay healthy.

“The state government also wishes to passionately appeal to residents to religiously observe the lockdown order, stay at home, observe personal hygiene, wash their hands regularly, observe social distancing and also pray fervently for the end of this dark era of the novel COVID-19 pandemic.

“Together, we shall win this war. These turbulent times shall pass away. We shall come out stronger and better, and our dear state will be great again.”

According to the NCDC, the state has recorded 77 cases of COVID-19.