Latest News

CACOVID donates COVID-19 test kits to NCDC

Published by

A private sector-led Coalition Against COVID-19 (CACOVID), has donated more extraction kits and silicon swabs to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) toward enhancing COVID-19 tests in the country.

Herbert Wigwe, Managing Director, Access Bank, in a statement on Sunday in Lagos, said CACOVID released 140 extraction kits, which translates to 14,000 tests to strengthen government’s response to tackle and mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Tribune Online reports that Wigwe said that the coalition was concerned that the availability of test kits had become a challenge in fighting the virus.

According to him, before the end of May, CACOVID will bring in more test kits to increase testing capacity by 32,500.

“The reality of the situation at hand is such that efforts must be put together, with no stone left unturned, in dealing with the Coronavirus pandemic,” he said.

ALSO READ: COVID-19: Ganduje, deputy, political office holders’ salaries cut by half

Wigwe pledged CACOVID’s support to fight the spread of coronavirus in Kano and other northern parts of the country.

“We will continue to pull together resources across industries to provide technical and operational support while providing funding and building advocacy through aggressive awareness drives to tackle the menace of COVID-19 in the country,” he added.

Responding, Mrs Olajumoke Babatunde, Deputy Director, Central Public Health Laboratory, NCDC, commended CACOVID for the provision of the test kits to increase Nigeria’s testing capacity.

According to her, the donation is coming at a very critical period when the country needs more test kits to determine the number of cases in Nigeria.

“We will not be able to know the status of a COVID-19 patient without testing.

“When we have kits available and we are able to test on time, we will be able to meet our turnaround time and this will translate to prompt diagnosis and treatment,” Babatunde said.

She said early diagnosis and treatment would assist to reduce the spread of the virus in the country, adding that CACOVID’s donation would help make NCDC’s task easier. (NAN)

Recent Posts

Tinubu to declare open legislative dialogue on State Police, national security architecture

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will on Monday declare open a high-level legislative dialogue on security,…

9 minutes ago

US: What to know about  ‘No Kings’ protests against Trump

While the bulk of rallies occurred in the US, sympathetic demonstrations also took place abroad.

36 minutes ago

Lagos CP orders probe into release of six killer cult members

Lagos State Commissioner of Police, CP Olohundare Jimoh, has ordered an investigation into the role…

38 minutes ago

Umahi fumes over slow pace of work in Enugu-Onitsha expressway

Umahi said the pace of work on the expressway was less encouraging, and expressed dismay…

56 minutes ago

2027: I’ll become next Oyo gov if I decide to contest — Oriyomi Hamzat

“You are telling me I won’t win — what is the meaning of that? Do…

1 hour ago

We introduced 983 bills, passed 108 in two years —Senate

The Senate has released its midterm scorecard, announcing that “we introduced 983 bills, passed 108…

1 hour ago

Welcome

Install

This website uses cookies.