From Ahmed Idris Birnin Kebbi
The Kebbi State Government has refuted a story published in a daily newspaper, not Peoples Daily listing the state among the sixteen states in the country without a single ventilator.
The Commissioner of Health, Hon.Jafar Mohammed, debunked the story, yesterday while conducting journalists round the Intensive Care Unit of Sir Yahaya Memorial Hospital, Birnin Kebbi, where the ventilators are located.
He said, ‘’This briefing became necessary following a report published by Daily Trust Newspaper in its front page of Wednesday 1st April,2020, that Kebbi State cannot boast of any ventilators .
“” I want to use this medium to strongly refute this false and malicious report which had erroneously sent wrong signals to the people of the state and Nigerians.
“ I can also confidently intimate the residents of the state that we have two functional ventilators. As you can see tangibly in our ICU of the Sir Yahaya Memorial Hospital, Birnin Kebbi,” he averred.
He further explained that, even before the advent of the deadly coronavirus pandemic, the two ventilators were installed by the Kebbi State Government at the ICU of the hospital and they were fully functional.
The Commissioner for Health who is also the Chairman, Task Force on Covid- 19 in the state, also emphasised that, the ventilators were still fully operational and can be compared to any modern health facility in the world.
Muhammed reiterated that, the Newspaper which alleged that Kebbi State does not have a single ventilator in any of its hospital was not true and at best the figment of the imagination of the Author.
He described the report as condemnable. false and malicious, that is intended to portray the government in bad light.
The Commissioner further appealed to Journalists to always be factual in their reportage, as well as endeavour their facts before going to the Press.
He thanked the Governor Abubakar Atiku Bagudu for his continuous support to the healthcare system in the state, adding, “ his ceaseless moral and financial support to us have been marvellous and unparalleled.
“” I want to use this opportunity to thank Governor Abubakar Atiku Bagudu for approving the procurement and installation of the ventilators at Sir Yahaya Memorial Hospital in Birnin Kebbi.”
Expatiating further, the Permanent Secretary and Chief Medical Director of Sir Yahaya Memorial Hospital, Dr. Aminu Haliru Bunza, akso described the ventilators as high capacity, with all the necessary accessories, including syringe pump and Ultra-sound .
The Visiting Consultant to the Hospital , Dr. Yakubu Sani Momoh, also explained that, the ventilators were one of the best in the world .
According to the world -class consultant, the ventilators are capable of servicing patients of Covid -19, should the need arise.
