Covid-19: We Have Not Received A Kobo From Private Donations – Lai Mohammed

Mohammed said that such criticisms were unfounded. “I can say without any fear that as of this moment, the task force has not received a kobo from anybody. “The only money we will be able to account for is whatever money we receive from the federal government.

“The Nigeria Economy Group-led private sector has said it is not going to give a penny to the task force; it says it will only raise the money and ask us what our needs are,” he explained. Mohammed said that the task force had already compiled the needs. “We have asked for more equipment and facilities, especially for those who might test positive to the virus. “We anticipate a spike in the number of people that will test positive but there should be no cause for alarm.

“What we need now are equipment and bed facilities where those who have tested positive can be admitted because we do not want a situation where there will be no bed space. “When people test positive, it depends on the stage. If it is mild, such persons do not need to go to hospital. It can still be managed at the isolation centres.” The minister said that apart from the equipment such as the testing machines, ventilators and personnel protective equipment, the task force is working on ramp-up training of personnel to handle the equipment.

He said that in addition to the existing covid-19 testing centres set up by the task force, two had been newly opened in Ibadan and Abakaliki while that of Kaduna, Port Harcourt and Kano would join soon. The Minister added that in about a week’s time, two private concerns would also set up their laboratories to start running the test which would increase testing capacity to 5,000 per day. He said that Nigeria was also expecting the new technology that would increase testing capacity to about half a million per day.