A first batch training of 350 health workers on infectious disease control has commenced in Kano in collaboration with the National Centre for Disease Control, NCDC.
Kano State Governor, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, on Friday urged the trainees to give adequate attention to patients with other ailments, even as they are in the heat of fighting COVID-19.
Ganduje who delivered an address at the opening event of the training on Friday said that his government has intensified the fight against COVID-19 and charged the health workers to reciprocate.
He said training of the health workers is designed to garner enough manpower to fight Corona Virus as well as other diseases in the state. He also promised his commitment to ensuring the capacity building of health workers across the state.
Ganduje called on the health workers to give attention to patients with other ailments, pointing out that even though the fight against COVID-19 is ongoing, patients with other diseases should be given adequate attention so as to stop unnecessary deaths in the state.
“This is another session where capacity building is being planned and executed to ensure that we have enough capacity to tackle any infectious disease that may invade our country not only Corona Virus.
“I urge the participants to go back to their respective areas and train other health workers in their domain.
“We are doing this so that there will be enough understanding on how to tackle COVID-19 and other infectious diseases.
“As part of your training, you should know how to manage patients suffering from Corona Virus. You should also know that not all patients who visit the hospitals are suffering from Corona Virus.
“We need to treat patients with other ailments or diseases. We need to give them attention even as we battle with COVID-19.”
Ganduje urged the participants to be good ambassadors of the state as he expressed gratitude to the management and staff of NCDC for collaborating with Kano state government to make the programme a reality.
The Chief Facilitator of the programme, Prof Bola Olayinka, said in her remark that the training will continue in batches till the end of the month.
She added that their mission was to train all health workers in the state so as to put in place, transmission-based precautions, as well as administrative control.
Prof. Olayinka said that at the end of the day, the trainers will not only be provided with certificates, but with training materials to train other health workers.
She also cautioned people on personal hygiene and waste management as the best measures to avoid and prevent infectious diseases.