Governor of Kaduna state, Nasir el-Rufai, has said it costs about N400,000 to treat a COVID-19 patient in the state.
Speaking on Monday during an executive committee meeting with traditional rulers chaired by Sa’ad Abubakar, the Sultan of Sokoto, the governor said the amount is as a result of the increasing cost of drugs, feeding, and personal protective equipment (PPE) for doctors.
El-Rufai stated that the government cannot tell patients to bear the cost of the treatment because it will lead to further spread of the disease.
He expressed;
We have a very high success rate in treating COVID-19 patients. Even a 90-year-old person, with underlying conditions, diabetes and hypertension was treated successfully in the state.
The virus has not left us. We may ignore it, but it is still there. We urge you to sensitise our people to protect themselves against this virus, particularly those that are above the age of 60.
Governor El-Rufai stressed;
It costs about N400,000 to treat one coronavirus patient. They have to be isolated and fed. The cost of medicine has increased, even the personal protective equipment that the doctors treating them have to wear. When you add all this up, the average cost of treatment is over N400,000 per person. We have to bear the cost.
The Governor called on northern traditional rulers not to relent in spearheading the campaigns to avoid the spread of coronavirus pandemic in the region.
El-Rufai affirmed that the challenges in the treatment of the pandemic make it imperative for people to desist from activities that will promote the spread of the virus in the northern region and the country at large.
Read Also: Kaduna State Governor El-Rufai Recovers From Coronavirus
It would be recalled that Governor El-Rufai himself had in March contracted COVID-19, but he recovered after nearly four weeks.
Kaduna state has recorded a total of 2,214 COVID-19 cases so far, 2,099 recovered patients and 32 deaths.
