Female Doctors Request Lockdown of Zamfara State Over COVID-19

Zamfara State chapter of the Medical Women Association of Nigeria (MWAN) has urged Governor Bello Mohammed Matawalle to lock down the state for two weeks to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

This was contained in a press statement signed by the President of MWAN, Zamfara State chapter, Dr Fatimah Abdulqadir, and made available to newsmen in Gusau, the state capital. The statement said that the curfew would assist in preventing the spread of the Coronavirus pandemic in the state.

“The State Governor should give this executive order with a view of shutting down the state for a minimum of 14 days for effective prevention of possible community transmission of COVID-19 in the state,” she noted.

Dr Fatima Abdulqadir commended the state government, Ministry of Health and Heads of hospitals for the efforts they are making towards curbing the Coronavirus spread in the state.

“We appeal to the state government to consider this recommendation. The state government and institutional heads should continue with their efforts and continue to perfectly involve stakeholders in decision-making, in order to come up with an all-encompassing, and effective strategy to curb COVID-19,” the doctors explained.

She noted that laboratories in tertiary health facilities should be upgraded to achieve beneficial results on COVID-19 testing, stressing that the state government should ensure that all health facilities are well-equipped and staffed, especially at the designated isolation centres.

According to her, the state government has it as a duty to ensure that health workers are provided with the proper PPE, incentive and hazard allowances.

She, therefore, urged the people of the state to comply with the government directives on social distancing, hand hygiene, respiratory hygiene, and self-isolation for returning travelers.