COVID-19:Why we allowed small businesses operate — Yobe deputy governor

Idi Barde Gubana is the Deputy Governor of Yobe State and the Chairman, Committee on prevention and control of COVID-19 in the state.

In an exclusive interview with Daily Trust , Gubana explained reasons businesses were allowed to operate in Yobe  despite COVID-19

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People would like to know your performance as the Chairman, Committee for the Prevention and Control of COVID-19 in the State?

Bismillahir Rahmani Raheem, It is absolutely one of the challenging tasks to spearhead such a committee saddled with the responsibilities of protecting the lives of the entire people of the state, but I must appreciate the little we have achieved in carrying out our responsibilities as the committee and government representatives.

You may recall that His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Yobe state, Hon Mai Mala Buni has inaugurated 22-man high-level committee headed by myself and other supporting members tasked with the mandate to control, prevent and curtail the spread of the coronavirus disease even before we record any single case in the state.

We immediately swung into action by setting-up three isolation centres one each at the Specialist Hospital Damaturu, Yobe State University Teaching Hospital and Federal Medical Centre Nguru and equipped them with the needed facilities for the treatment of COVID-19 patients.

We equally adopted and ensure compliance to safety protocols laid down by the federal government and the NCDC which included; interstate travel ban except on essential services, physical distancing, mandatory use of face masks in public places, establishing hand washing points in places of public gatherings among others.

The committee provided the policy and direction for the response across the state with sufficient coordination across different sectors.

A community-based risk communication and behaviour change approach was adopted.

Deep engagements were done with the regional and religious institutions, other community gatekeepers, community groups and associations.

This resulted in improved knowledge and skills on the disease, its prevention and control measures.

We had a situation where individuals and groups by themselves sewed face masks, constructed hand washing facilities and also promoted the adoption of prevention and control measures.

Communities reported suspected cases, high-risk individuals to the response team.

This and a lot more was achieved in this pillar.

Due to the awareness generated, case identification and reporting were impressive, this was followed with case investigation within 8 to 12 hours of reporting.

The team also succeeded in contact tracing and isolation of symptomatic contacts, an average of 10 contacts were identified and followed up per case as applicable.

Thus, we can say that we have a very good surveillance system across board.

The committee set up sub-committees on Resource mobilization, security, lockdown and enforcement and disinfection.

Yobe was among the initial states that banned interstate movement in order to prevent people from high-risk areas from bringing the disease to the state.

Those that enter illegally through usual routes were mostly picked and put under quarantine or repatriated.

The resource mobilization committee mobilized funds from indigenous philanthropist, well-meaning Nigerians and political office holders and organizations.

These donations tremendously helped the committee in discharging its mandate.

Your physical distancing protocols seem not to be effective because small businesses do operate and markets are allowed to open?

Let me emphasize that, right from the start of the COVID-19 response, the committee under the guidance of the Executive Governor of Yobe State, Hon Mai Mala Buni, understood the need to contextualize our response to the peculiarities of the State.

Yobe state was just recovering from the consequences of the insurgency that included impoverishment of the population.

The government spent billions on security and as such slowed down our growth.

Furthermore, we were very much aware that more than 80% of our people fall under the poverty line.

With this and more challenges, the committee resolved not to enforce measures that will further deteriorate the economy, livelihood and mental health of the population.

Rather, a partnership was resorted to between the population and the government.

While allowing people to continually seek their livelihood, prevention and control measures were put in place.

This is in addition to intensive dialogue and engagement that happens with all the stakeholders.

Although the risks may be there, efforts were made to mitigate those risks while avoiding secondary consequences of the response to the population.

Approaches obtainable in mega states like Lagos, Kano and Kaduna may not be applicable here, I mean our economy and sociology differ, so we always work on what we deemed is necessarily and feasible.

We, therefore, ensure that we lessen the effect of the virus on our people by allowing businesses to operate at low key while focusing on what is obtainable on them.

You have received donations of PPE’s, how do you go about distributing them?

Yes, we have received donations of PPE’s and remain thankful to our donors NEDC, VSF, Arewa Group, CACOVID, Tailoring association, Sir Ahmadu Bello Sardauna foundation, Ooni of Ife foundation among others.

Of course, distributions were made based on need, there is central storage from where distribution schedules are made for all items, following which the items are conveyed to the health facilities and other centres that require them.

Proper documentation are kept as well.

Apart from the items we received from donors and partners, at the state level we also procured some drugs and other equipment and distributed them to all our facilities across the 17 local government areas.

Yobe is yet to have its own testing centre, how do you go about testing and what effort do you put in place to have a testing centre established in the state?

The issue of testing centre is soon to become a thing of the past, the state government has already completed the processes of establishing a testing centre since April this year.

However, due to the travel restrictions, the particular reagent needed for our PCR machine being a closed system was not sent.

We had already paid for the reagent and shipment.

This caused the unexpected delay.

We understand that we will be getting the reagents next week after which the NCDC will be invited to accredit the laboratory.

Furthermore, plans have been completed for the procurement and installation of two additional machines.

Give us the latest update of COVID-19 cases in the state?

As of July 1, there were 61 confirmed cases of COVID-19, out of which 48 were discharged, unfortunately, we recorded 8 deaths and currently, we have 3 active cases.

All active cases are under home management being mild cases.