by Eniola Olatunji
There is something amazing coming out of Kano. It depicts a desperation to make the Federal Government transfer all the covid-19 donations to the account of the state.
As at the time the Northern Governors had a conference and demanded the FG share donations equally to all the 36 states and the FCT, kano state and the other Northern states did not record a single case on the NCDC chart.
From that time we knew money must change hands by force or President Muhammadu Buhari will be under pressure.
Early this week we saw Kano state jump to position 3 on the chart. They had not only suddenly recorded cases but astonishing deaths. Kano state told Almajiris to leave. To where? Who are their fathers? Do they even know at all? We have known Almajiris with Kano history. Ousted Emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi talked severally about the embarrassing issue of Almajiris. He denied they were neither an outlet of religious beliefs that they must be there or part of their traditional set up but products of some irresponsible living style of some supposedly rich people who when their source of finance were no more flowing abandon both mother and children. Some of us started counting Sanusi’s days on the throne on our fingers.
And now the Deputy chairman of the Kano State Covid-19 committee, Dr. Sabitu Shuaibu told us kano state recorded 640 deaths in one week. Simple logic says that is an average of 91 deaths per day.
He told us he was not sure the 640 deaths were only covid-19 deaths but they will start an investigation on that. That is ridiculous because every hospital as a matter of ethics and professional practice must have record of each patient that passes through it both cottage hospitals, tertiary, private, public or whatever nomenclature of description.
What then is the source of the figures given. Can you believe it? Undertakers and Cemetery attendants.
Wait! Channels Tv asked whether there were any medical Doctors on the committee and Dr. Shuaibu said he is one and was an official of the state NMA before. NMA governs medical doctors. He said their were 15 medical Doctors some of them Professors of public health and preventive medicine. Medicine is hierarchical in structure and with due respect to our young man who i don’t know whether he is a consultant or what level of Consultant would preside over Professors of Medicine. The NMA should tell us whether the general public should accept statistics from cemetery attendants and undertakers.
Why would the investigative panel not tell us 600 of the 640 cases were actually coronavirus cases. Does NCDC have standards?
Still trying to think whether i have not lost my bearings in developmental journalism, the current chairman of NMA in Kano State, Dr. Sanusi Bala came on the same Channels Tv to tell us we Nigerians have to believe the statistics of Undertakers and Cemetery Attendants. Ridiculous!
We need to tell the Kano State Government; Kano NMA; Kano medical practitioners; the FG; the National body of NMA; the Presidential Task Force of Covid-19; NCDC etc that we need to know what is image? The world is watching us, the standard of our medical practice and what rigmaroles we try over public fund.
The NMA at all levels need lessons on MIRROR IMAGE. How do you see yourselves? Outright professionals who the general public can entrust their lives with?
The North has a role to play to one more time clear the air that we want justice and equity applied in the distribution of resources.
There too many questions for the FG; halth sector and Kano state government in this presentation.
May i state that this is a personal inference i can draw from the Kano presentation. I have not written under any duress or undue influence. I wrote with a balance mind. I needed to add this before some individuals or groups start to declare their agitations as customary to the Nigerian behavior.
Eniola Olatunji (m), journalist of 43 years; cleric and public relations practitioner.
