Rivers commences coronavirus testing as SPDC, Total E&P donate PCR machines

The Rivers State government on Friday formally commenced coronavirus testing at the molecular laboratory of the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital in Port Harcourt deploying the two PCR Machines from Shell Petroleum Development Company and another from Total E and P.

Tribune Online reports that the commencement of the testing is a boost to the several efforts of the state government to fight against the spread of coronavirus in Rivers State.

Chief Medical Director of Rivers State University Teaching Hospital, Dr Friday Aaron said that the lab had come on stream to assist the state fight coronavirus.

He said: “This evening we are here to celebrate because it has been our goal to get a testing centre in Rivers State. Today, I am happy to announce that we can now do COVID-19 tests at the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital courtesy of the Rivers State government ably led by our own governor, Nyesom Wike.

“We also thank our partners, SPDC and Total, who have continued to work with us to fight the coronavirus.”

Dr Aaron noted that the NCDC was on ground to install and activate the PCR machines, adding: “Since yesterday, we started running tests and by this evening, we will have results from our lab. The good thing is that we have 3 PCR Machines that will serve Rivers people.”

He thanked Governor Wike for working hard to get a world-class lab that would ensure more people are tested and treated.

He said: “We also have edge over other states because we received a donation of over 3000 test kits and we have kits that came with the machines.

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“In this Hospital, we have a state of the art molecular laboratory before now. That lab we use it for HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis B and C. The NCDC said for COVID-19 testing we should get another laboratory. We have been able to meet up that request.

“I congratulate our governor and Rivers people for this achievement. It is undergoing safety checks and we then get the approval of the NCDC to start collecting samples.”

The Chief Medical Director of Rivers State University Teaching Hospital, however, said that people are not expected to come to the laboratory because samples would be collected from the State Treatment Centre at Eleme and the State Ministry of Health.

Biomedical Engineer at the NCDC National Reference Laboratory, Innocent Okoli, said that they were in the state to install and activate the laboratory.

“We are very happy with the progress the state has made in setting up this lab. We are confident that this lab can handle the challenge of testing for COVID-19. We have three PCR Machines that can test 270 samples a day,” he said.

Regional Community Health Manager, SPDC-JV, Dr Akinwumi Fajola, expressed happiness at the setting up of the coronavirus test lab in the state saying: “We are very excited about what is happening here especially for the people of Rivers State. We are partnering with the Rivers State government and we have been able to donate two PCR machines which are now at work at the RSUTH.

“We have also provided test kits, we have provided RNA extraction test kits and all those things that will help the molecular biology testing in this laboratory.

“We are excited about what the Rivers State government has done here very good facility. I am happy about the infection prevention and control at this facility.”