Zamfara State Taskforce on Prevention and Control of Coronavirus has commended the state branch of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) for complementing government’s efforts in the fight against virus.
Alhaji Nasiru Magarya, Chairman of the Taskforce and Speaker of the state House of Assembly, gave the commendation while receiving executive members of the association who paid him a courtesy visit in Gusau on Saturday.
Magarya, who lauded the efforts of medical doctors in the state and their professional expertise in handling the infectious disease, said that the efforts had gone a long way in curtailing the spread of the pandemic.
“We are committed to continuing the good partnership with the leadership of the NMA in fighting the dreaded disease.
“As special healthcare givers, your roles remain critical not only in the spread but also in the aspect of control which made you to be partners in progress in dealing with the pandemic,” the speaker said.
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According to the speaker, the state government will establish its own COVID-19 permanent testing centre to avoid unnecessary delays resulting from sending blood samples to Sokoto or Kano.
He lauded Gov. Bello Matawalle for providing technical and financial support to the Taskforce, pledging to enhance the working environment of health workers and other stakeholders supporting government’s efforts in the fight against the disease.
“We are making efforts to increase hazard allowances to all category of medical and health workers involved in the fight against COVID-19 and other infectious diseases in the state,” he explained.
Earlier, the NMA chairman, Dr Kabiru Shinkafi, had said that the visit to the COVID-19 Secretariat was to offer some useful advice to the taskforce on the best ways to combat the dreaded pandemic.
Shinkafi, who commended Zamfara for establishing isolation centre for the treatment of the disease, urged the state government to hasten the payment of hazard allowances to medical doctors who, he noted, were always prone to diseases.
He also urged the state government to establish an infectious diseases hospital for the treatment of infectious diseases as obtained in many states of the federation
He assured the association of total support and cooperation toward eliminating the disease. (NAN)