COVID-19: South East Not Testing Enough – SGF

Chairman of the PTF and Secretary to the Government of the Federation SGF, Mr. Boss Mustapha, has stated that the Southeast was not testing enough for coronavirus (COVID-19).

According to him, the situation would not allow the Taskforce to understand the extent of the spread of the virus in the region to make for adequate planning and provision.

He said; “Of about 76,800 plus of the number of tests that we have conducted, when I looked at the five southeastern states, they accounted for just 1,625 as of June 1. That number is an indication of under-testing and it is a message that should go out to all the states. Do not under-test because when it will blow up on your face, you will get overwhelmed. So, begin to search now and test so that you know what eventually might come your way and you begin to prepare for it. For all the states that have not been ramping up their tests, my advice to them is, ramp up your tests. Test and test and test. If you do not find, thank God for it. But begin to prepare as if you already have so that when it eventually comes, you won’t be taken by surprise”.

Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control NCDC, Dr Chikwe Iheakwazu said Nigeria currently has reagents across its network of 30 laboratories that could be used to conduct 200, 000 Covid-19 tests.

He said at the end of the current pandemic, Nigerians will not return to a country with the kind of health security architecture that it had in the past, saying his team would have to learn from the pandemic and develop a new health security architecture for the future.