The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) Kano state branch has distributed face masks and hand sanitizers to its members in public and private health facilities in the state.

The NMA state chairman, Dr Sanusi Bala, made the disclosure while distributing the items in Kano on Monday.

He advised members of the association to do everything possible to protect themselves as the number of infections among doctors and other healthcare personnel is alarming.

“If your centre does not provide you with the needed face masks and alcohol-based disinfectant, kindly dedicate your two months hazards allowance, no matter how small to get yourself protected,” he said.

He expressed concern over the high cost of face mask and hand sanitizers since the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic across the country.

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Bala, however, called on traders of such items in the state to have the fear of God and reduce the prices of the materials in view of the prevailing situation in the country,

“In normal circumstances, the items we bought should have cost us two million Naira but because the traders and dealers have increased their prices, we had to spend about five million Naira,” he said,

“When the people who take care of the sick become ill themselves, many more people will die. We are small in number but might in the heart, even one of us is important,” he said.

He called on the Kano state government to intensify public sensitisation to prevent the outbreak of the deadly disease in the state.