By Najib Sani, Bauchi

The president Islamic Medical Association of Nigeria (IMAN) and former chief medical director of the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital Bauchi Dr Mohammed Alkali has debunked the assertion that heat prevent the spread of the deadly coronavirus pandemic.

Delivering a lecture on the pandemic at a meeting organized by the Bauchi State Muslims Coalition on Covid 19 for imams and other stakeholders held at the conference hall of Bauchi central mosque, Alkali stated that it is erroneous for people to assume that places with high temperatures could not be affected by the virus.

He pointed out that even countries with higher temperatures than Nigeria such as Saudi Arabia and others recorded more cases of the pandemic.

According to him, the virus lives in human and animals bodies adding that it can also be viable outside on doors, glasses and tables etc for as long as 12 hours.

Alkali explained that the virus affects lung, stays in throat and can cause fever, coughing, sneezing, body weakness and difficulty in breathing among other symptoms.

While saying that social interaction increases the chances of contracting the disease, Alkali said practising social distancing helps in containing the spread of the virus.

The physician who advocated the frequent washing of hands with sanitizers especially among traders who count money regularly also advised mosques on the use of fumigators as part of measures to prevent the spread of the virus among worshippers.

Earlier, the convener of the coalition Professor Salisu Shehu noted that the group was formed with a view to sourcing for donations from wealthy individuals in the state for purchase of food items that will be distributed to the needy in this trying period.

He therefore urged donors to bring food items to the secretariat of the Jama’atil Nasril Islam in the central mosque and or donate money to the accounts of the coalition.

While the secretary of the procurement, packaging and distribution committee of the coalition Malam Zahraddin Baban Takko said the group intends to give out rice, maize, spaghetti, beans, groundnut oil, salt and matches to each beneficiary so that he may only need firewood and water to cook them.

He assured that the committee will liase with imams, community leaders to select the beneficiaries saying the committee will however distribute the items directly to them to avoid corruption, collection by proxy and or diversion of the materials by selfish individuals.