The Katsina State Government COVID-19 committee has expended has about N158 million on COVID-19 tests conducted on 10,000 cases in the state from 31st May, 2020, to date.
In a statement on Thursday, September 3, 2020, the state Commissioner of Information, culture and Home Affairs, Alhaji Abdulkareem Yahaya Sirika, said so far a total of 11314 samples have been collected cumulatively with 675 repeats and follow up, adding that the payment was effected to Sahel Medicare centre, a private laboratory in Katsina accredited by the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control, NCD.
The commissioner revealed that the amount paid to Sahel Medicare was in addition to other costs on patients care and staff allowance, saying as at 2nd September, 800 positive cases have been recorded in Katsina with 24 deaths since the beginning of the pandemic.
Alhaji Abdulkareem Sirika further announced that 9,601 results were recorded as negative, stressing that only Dandume local government is yet to return a Covid-19 positive result.
However, he said samples from local governments are being tested for confirmation, adding that Katsina ranked at the 16th position among the 36 and federal capital territory, Abuja.
He announced that activities on risk communication are being shared through social media platforms such as sending texts, video clips and dummies.
Others he said include weekly mosques and churches announcements and regular Radio and Television live discussion programmes by the Risk communication members.
Alhaji Abdulkareem Sirika further said that they have intensified sensitisation on coronavirus by local government area health teams in collaboration with information units, National Orientation Agency-NOA, traditional and religious institutions in the 34 local governments in the state.
He revealed that there are three fixed sample collection centres in the state that include maternal and child health clinic in kofar Guga, federal medical centre and General Amadi Rimi specialist hospital.
The commissioner said in the other local governments, rapid response teams such as laboratory personnel were present and positioned to handle likely cases of Covid-19.
Alhaji Abdulkareem Sirika further announced that case finding through contact tracing will be a continuous exercise, stressing that all residents of Katsina state that meet up the criteria for testing have their samples collected and tested free of charge.
He assured that confirmed positive cases would continue to be admitted and treated for free in designated isolation centres.
