The Presidential Task Force (PTF) on the COVID-19 pandemic has urged Nigerians to undergo coronavirus test, noting that the nation’s testing capacity has so far been underutilised.
The Chairman of the PTF and Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr Boss Mustapha, who made this call at Thursday’s briefing by the task force in Abuja, said whereas Nigeria now has the infrastructure to test up to 15,000 per day, the daily records show that tests done for now are between 3,000 and 6,000.
However, he said the country is diligently following science in its national response, noting, therefore, the imperatives citizens said o take advantage of the improved testing infrastructure to get tested for COVID-19.
According to him, the unpredictable nature of the virus makes it more devastating among populations that have failed to heed precautionary advice.
He pointed out that this unpredictability is highlighted by the viciousness of its surge in case records in Plateau State in the last 24 hours.
Mustapha added: “So far, our National Response has shown that Nigeria is following the science through effective case management but need to improve our testing.
“Our testing infrastructure has been increased to undertake up to 15,000 tests per day but we are currently testing between 3,000 to 6,000 daily due mainly to people still not subjecting themselves for testing. I, therefore, want to seize this opportunity to enjoin Nigerians to get tested.
“The coronavirus continues to display unpredictable characteristics that show its relentless nature on populations that disregard common and simple protective measures. Such behaviour has been amplified in the surge in some states of the United States of America.
“Similarly, this unpredictability is reflected in the last twenty-four hours when Plateau State witnessed the highest daily number of confirmed cases.
“This call becomes more imperative when we realise that from an initial ten (10) hotspot Local Government Areas in the country, we moved to sixteen (16) and now have twenty (20) of such, indicating spread to other areas.
“More worrisome is the fact that the initial hotspot areas were easily accessible to medical support. Albeit, the new ones are areas more removed from such support.”
The PTF boss also expressed concerns over the recent case of infection amongst some students sitting for the Senior Secondary School Certificate Examinations (SSSCE), emphasising the need for more vigilance by the handlers of the education sector.
“Furthermore, the recent case of infection amongst some students sitting for the Senior Secondary School Certificate Examinations calls for more vigilance by the education sector and all of us,” he warned.
On the planned resumption of international flights, the SGF said: “As we further open up the aviation sector, with the planned operation of international flights from August 29th 2020 beginning with the Nnamdi Azikiwe and Murtala Mohammed International Airports (NAIA and MMIA), the PTF seeks the cooperation of all stakeholders to work at arriving mechanisms that would be mutually beneficial to all stakeholders.”
In his remark, PTF National Coordinator, Dr Sani Aliyu, said 22 sites from 13 states have been registered for the World Health Organisation-approved drugs trails for coronavirus, noting that necessary regulatory approvals have been secured while the trial will soon commence.
Nigeria’s testing capacity underutilised
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Nigeria’s testing capacity underutilised