Dr. Nura Alkali
A patient denying his/her illness is a coping mechanism well-known to medicine and psychology. What is new in Kano’s case is a collective denial spearheaded by government, community leaders and even intellectuals who should know better.
For heaven’s sake, 50 of the 60 recent cases of Covid-19 in Kaduna were all Almajiris repatriated from Kano according to news reports. And by yesterday, 34 health workers in Kano had contracted the virus (15 at Dala Orthopedic Hospital, 10 at AKTH and 9 at other hospitals), with another 100 AKTH staff awaiting their test results.
What better evidence do you need to accept that coronavirus is rampant in Kano and is the cause of your so-called mysterious deaths? Who infected the health workers and the Almajiris, none of whom travelled abroad recently as far as I can tell? Aljannu? Chinese road contractors working in Kano?
There is a time for stupidity but that time is over, so either accept facts and protect yourself, or wallow in denial and make things worse for everyone in Kano and other northern states witnessing more cases from Kano returnees on daily basis. The choice is yours.