As part of measures to curtail the spread of the deadly COVID-19, the North East Development Commission (NEDC), has donated medical and preventive items to the six states in the Northeast geo-political zone in the country.
The items donated include Personal Protection Equipment (PPE), ventilators, surgical and ordinary masks, infra-red thermometer, hand gloves and hand sanitizers among others.
Donating the items, to the governments of Adamawa, Borno, Bauchi, Taraba, Yobe and Gombe states, at the NEDC headquarters in Abuja on Friday, the chairman, NEDC, Major General Paul Tarfa (rtd), said that the decision to donate the items was part of the proactive step to halt the spread of coronavirus in the Northeast region.
According to him, many hospitals are now running low on the PPE, ventilators and other supplies for curtailing the coronavirus pandemic, hence the need for the donation.
Tarfa, represented by the Director, representing Northeast in the board of the commission, David Sabo Kente, said that Coronavirus is real and deadly.
He said that the donation was to ensure that the people living in the Northeast and internally displaced persons (IDPs) camps have access to sensitisation and essential items that would help prevent COVID-19 pandemic.
He also urged Nigerians to follow the government guidelines on prevention measures such as the stay-at-home order and to avoid large crowds.
He said, “This is a global pandemic. It is also ideal to lock down the whole nation for two weeks. By the grace of God, COVID-19 will not get to Northeast but we are making proactive efforts to curb the spread”
The Director, representing North Western States in the board of NEDC, Hajia Asmau Mohammed, said that all hands are on deck to curb the spread in the region.
She said, “At the moment the NEDC is donating food items in the northeast. We are also donating this medical supply to curtail the spread. We are running jingles in radio and TV in the six states to educate the people. We are also running the jingles in their local languages.”
Receiving the items on behalf of the Government of Adamawa state, the liaison officer of the state, Adamu Jibrilla, expressed appreciation to the commission for the concerns towards the vulnerable persons at IDPs camps and hospitals in the Northeast.
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