The Officer-In-Charge of Ningi Local Government Primary Healthcare Center, Lauratu Mohammed Yaro, has allayed the fear of residents with regards to contracting Coronavirus in health facilities.
Yaro declared that as long as the people adhere strictly to preventive measures they cannot contract the dreaded virus.
DAILY POST reports that due to the partial lockdown imposed on the state by the state government to contain the spread of the virus, there is low patronage of health facilities.
It was gathered that the low patronage is due to the fear people have of contracting the coronavirus at the facilities.
Speaking with a team of journalists who visited the local government area on Tuesday to ascertain the level of compliance of the lockdown order and turnout of patients at the health facility, Yaro informed that there is low turnout of patients, especially for antenatal and child spacing services, since the outbreak of the pandemic in the state.
She said that the health facility has been conducting a series of sensitization outreaches to enlighten residents on how to protect themselves from contracting the virus.
She added that this becomes imperative in order to allay their fear of coming to the health facility so as not to contract the virus.
“Before the outbreak of the Coronavirus in the state, in a month, we usually record more than 100,000 patients. But now, we only record just 30 patients in a month.
“This development is a result of people’s fear that they can contract the virus once they visit the health facility.
“We want to disabuse people’s minds of this misconception because when they sit at home and do not access health services, they will become more ignorant and record more unwanted pregnancies.
“On our part, as a health facility, we ensure that every patient and staff, wear a face mask, wash their hands with soap and water or use hand sanitizers as well as maintain social distance.
“These are parts of the measures we have put in place to secure the lives of our patients and staff of this health facility,” she said.
Speaking to DAILY POST, A 45-year-old beneficiary of child spacing service, Jumai Musa, a mother of seven children, said that she started spacing her children when she gave birth to her fourth child, adding that although she lost one of her children, spacing her children has helped her to plan her family as they are all healthy and properly cared for.
“Even with the Coronavirus scare, I am still accessing health services at this facility as you can see because I am a great beneficiary of the child spacing service here,” she said.
The mother of seven stated that there is a need to educate people in rural areas, particularly women on health issues, including the coronavirus pandemic ravaging the world now.
“What our rural women need is more enlightenment on health issues, especially the Coronavirus pandemic,” she said.
