Sokoto is low risk, no cause for alarm– Commissioner assures as state hightens Ebola preparedness
Sokoto is low risk, no cause for alarm– Commissioner assures as state hightens Ebola preparedness 
From Bashir Rabe Mani in Sokoto
The Sokoto State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Faruk Umar Abubakar Wurno, has assured residents that Sokoto State remains a low-risk state for Ebola Virus Disease, saying there is no cause for alarm as government has heightened surveillance and preparedness measures.
Dr. Wurno gave the assurance on Tuesday in Sokoto while addressing newsmen shortly after a stakeholders’ meeting on the Ebola Preparedness Measures of the Sokoto State Government.
He said the meeting, which brought together all stakeholders responsible for public health, case management and public awareness, was convened to review and strengthen the state’s level of preparedness at all levels.
“I want to inform you that Sokoto is a low-risk state as declared by the NCDC. There is no cause for alarm,” Dr. Wurno said.
He explained that although Sokoto has two major points of entry – the Illela border and the airport, which is currently operating domestic flights only with no international flights, the state has put its surveillance system on high alert.
“We have a very, very good surveillance system and our epidemiologists are also active. We have put all of them on alert so that in case of any alert, we are able to switch into action.
” The level of readiness is intact and ready for any eventuality,” he stated.
On specific measures put in place, the Commissioner said the state’s Infectious Disease Hospital, IDH, located at Amanawa is fully ready for isolation and case management if the need arises.
“Our Infectious Disease Hospital is ready. We have prepared it for isolation where there is need.
*The hospital is prepared with all the PPE and all that. The CMD of the hospital was also in attendance and he gave us details that the IDH is fully prepared.
“It was built by the State Government and is equipped with every system that is required,” Dr. Wurno said.
He emphasized that the state has a very good surveillance system that is working and all necessary preparations are on ground to respond to any eventuality.
On the diphtheria situation in the state, the Commissioner said cases are drastically going down, with less than 20 patients currently on admission across the three treatment centres in the state.
He listed the centres as Specialist Hospital Sokoto with 45 beds, Amana with 100 beds, and one other centre with five beds, adding that all centres currently have less than 10 patients each and case management is going excellently.
“As it is, we have less than 20 patients on admission in all the three centres and the case management is going very well, excellently,” he said.
