COVID-19: Kaduna has high treatment rate –El-Rufai

Governor Nasir El-Rufai has said that Kaduna State has a high success rate in treating Covid-19 patients, including senior citizens and people with underlying ailments. The governor stated this while addressing the National Executive Council meeting of the Northern Traditional Rulers Council led by the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar lll, in Kaduna. […]

Governor Nasir El-Rufai has said that Kaduna State has a high success rate in treating Covid-19 patients, including senior citizens and people with underlying ailments.

The governor stated this while addressing the National Executive Council meeting of the Northern Traditional Rulers Council led by the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar lll, in Kaduna.

“We have a very high success rate in treating Covid-19 patients. Even a 90-year-old person with underlying conditions, such as diabetes and hypertension, was treated successfully in the state,’’ he told the traditional rulers.

The governor noted that the state has been lucky to have recorded less deaths as a result of complications from Covid-19.

El-Rufai also revealed that it costs Kaduna state an average of N400,000 to treat a coronavirus patient, adding that this is as a result of the increasing cost of drugs, feeding, and personal protective equipment for doctors.

“Even though we have very successful cases of treatment for coronavirus, it is a very expensive process. The last time I received a report, it costs about N400,000 to treat a coronavirus patient.

“The cost of medicines has increased including even the PPE that the doctors treating them have to wear. When you add these up, it is over N400,000 per person,” he said.

According to El-Rufai, the treatment of Covid-19 patients ‘’is a big drain on the treasury of the government and we have to bear the cost. If we say people should pay for the treatment of coronavirus, it will open up the spread of the virus.’’

The governor disclosed that it is a burden the state government has to bear until a potent Covid-19 vaccine is developed, adding that ‘’coronavirus is a battle that is meant to be won until we get a vaccine.’’

El-Rufai who pleaded with the royal fathers and stakeholders to help sensitise the people on the danger of Covid-19, appreciated the traditional rulers for the role they played in helping not the just the Kaduna State government but the entire Northern governments to combat the coronavirus pandemic.