Gov. Abdulaziz Yari of Zamfara has threatened to deal with anyone caught diverting drugs meant for treating meningitis patients in the state.
The governor issued the warning on Monday while speaking to journalists over suspected cases of diversion of the drugs.
Yari said the state government had made adequate provision to contain the disease since it first manifested in Gora ward of Birnin-Magaji Local Government Area of the state.
He said the setting up of the state Meningitis Control Committee under the chairmanship of the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Abdullahi Shinkafi, was to check any excesses but lamented that reports reaching him indicated that some of the drugs were being diverted.
“l am particularly touched to see that many of these patients are rural poor people, yet they are asked to spend thousands in order to buy drugs which we have already provided free of charge at all public health facilities throughout the state.
“I will not take it lightly with anyone caught selling or diverting such drugs because it is as good as saying let the patient die,” he warned.
He said the state government would investigate allegations of diversion or any act that would deny the patients access to drugs and treatment to discipline the culprits.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the state was reported as the worst hit by this year’s meningitis scourge in the country since the disease broke out in two months ago.
There were reported cases of diversion of the drugs and consumables meant for the treatment of patients whereby the items were being sold at chemists located near the camps set up to treat the victims.
Comments
Post a Comment