Sokoto treats 2,000 people in 8 days

No fewer than 2,000 patients have been treated at the malaria camp set up by the Sokoto State Government at the Murtala Specialist Hospital, Sokoto in the last eight days.

The State Commissioner for Health, Dr Balarabe Kakale, disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Sokoto on Tuesday against the backdrop of the outbreak of ”severe malaria” in the state.

NAN reports that there was an outbreak of malaria in some parts of Sokoto North Local Government, especially the Gandu area and its environs.

He said that the state government provided 10 ambulances to convey patients with the ailment from their homes to the camp.

”The camp was fully equipped, staffed and provided with free drugs, as well as medicament. The camp has 10 medical doctors, 25 nurses, 10 laboratory scientists and 15 medical records officers, among others” he added.

Kakale also stated that the camp has adequate stocks of antimalarial drugs, intravenous fluids, antibiotics and other medicament to cater for the patients.

He said: "It is heartwarming that zero-mortality was recorded out of the over 2000 cases at the camp.

”Over 60 per cent of these cases had severe cases of malaria, with majority of them as out-patients, while only 17 are now responding to treatment at the camp. The rest were fully treated and discharged as the situation had been brought under total control."

The Commissioner disclosed that the fatality from the outbreak still remained five contrary to some media reports.

”The problem was then caused by the contamination of the environment, like water, food and air pollution. The heaps of refuse that hitherto dotted the affected areas been evacuated.

”All the drains were also de-silted and fumigated against mosquitoes. We have also sustained intensive campaigns on the need for the residents to ensure personal and environmental hygiene,” Kakale said.

NAN recalls that, the Wife of the President, Mrs Aisha Buhari, had on Monday flagged off a special medical outreach in Sokoto State, as part of her response to the malaria crisis in the state.

Represented by the Wife of the Speaker, House of Representatives, Mrs Gimbiya Dogara, she said that the gesture was under her Future-Assured Programme.

NAN further reports that, the outreach programme was being conducted in collaboration with the pet project of the Wife of Gov. Aminu Tambuwal, Mrs Maryam Tambuwal, ”The Maryam Mairo Aminu Waziri Tambuwal Legacy Initiative”.