The Kaduna State Chairman of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) Dr. Mohammed Sani Ibrahim has directed doctors to attend to victims of the bomb blasts that rocked Kaduna town yesterday, in spite of the nationwide strike.

Speaking to our correspondent yesterday, Ibrahim said: “Just as we had said earlier before the commencement of the strike, if there is an emergency, our doctors will not hesitate to work. So as soon as we heard of the incident, we sent bulk SMS to all our doctors and they assembled immediately to attend to the victims that were conveyed to both the 44 Reference and Yusuf Dantsoho Memorial hospitals.”

Some of the doctors at 44 Reference hospital are not on strike because they are military personnel “but of course they were overwhelmed, so some of our doctors joined them,” he said.

Ibrahim said 13 doctors were deployed to 44 Reference hospital to join other doctors while seven doctors were deployed to Yusuf Dantsoho hospital. 

About 72 patients with different degrees of injury were taken to 44 Reference hospital, Daily Trust learnt.

“Some had just minor bruises, so such patients were treated and discharged immediately but the patients with serious injuries were about 42 or there about,” ibrahim said.

“The total number of death is still not very clear but the figure available to us now is about 35 and we have about five patients at Yusuf Dantsoho Memorial hospital who have been resuscitated. One of the patients was unconscious earlier on but is also recovering.”

When contacted, the Chief Medical Director of Yusuf Dantsoho Memorial Hospital in Tudun-Wada Dr. Armiyau Bello confirmed that about seven survivors of the bomb blasts were rushed to his hospital while the dead were deposited at the mortuary.

He said one of the seven victims is not very unstable while the others are responding to treatment.

Meanwhile the blasts brought about panic especially within the metropolis as people scampered for safety while parents rushed to schools to pick their children and wards.

It also led to a heavy gridlock especially along the River Kaduna bridge as residents along the axis rushed to go back home.

A resident who escaped the blast, Mercy John, said she the deadly incident occurred barely one minute after she left the area. 

“I went to Alkali road to see a friend who works there. My intention was to stay with her till evening but I suddenly felt sick inside of me and decided to go back home. As I was stepping my feet in the bus, I heard the loud sound of the blast,” she said.