8th September, 2020
Governor Nasiru Ahmad El-Rufai of Kaduna State has disclosed that it costs about N400,000 to treat a COVID-19 patient in the state.
The governor revealed this while urging traditional rulers from the North to continue sensitizing their people on the dangers of the pandemic.
“The amount is as a result of the increasing cost of drugs, feeding, and personal protective equipment (PPE) for doctors.
The government cannot tell patients to bear the cost of the treatment because it will lead to further spread of the disease,” he said.
El- Rufai however, said Kaduna had a very high success rate in treating COVID-19 patients, even as 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.