Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai has disclosed that his government spends N400,000 to treat each coronavirus patient in the state.
Governor El-Rufai made the disclosure on Monday during an executive meeting with traditional rulers in Kaduna.
According to him, the patients have to be isolated, fed and medicated, noting that the cost of medicine has increased, even the personal protective equipment that the doctors treating them have to wear.
El-Rufai continued that When all is added up, the average cost of treatment is over N400,000 per person. He said the state has to bear all the cost because telling patients to take responsibility of the medical bills would lead to widespread of the deadly virus.
“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.”
“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”, he said.
According to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), the total number of COVID-19 patients in Kaduna State is currently 2208, with 2,095 recovered and 32 deaths.
KanyiDaily recalled on July 24, Lagos state government also said it spends an average of N100,000 daily to treat a COVID-19 patient, while it costs about N500,000 and N1 million to treat a patient with intensive COVID-19 case.