John Adams, Minna
Niger State governor Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello has said that the state government will collaborate with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) for the establishment of COVID-19 laboratory testing centre in the state.
Niger State recorded its second case of the Coronavirus on Wednesday, in Tegina, Rafi local government area of the state, and the governor believed that there is a need to have a testing centre in the state in other to have more people tested of the Coronavirus.
The governor stated this in Minna on Thursday evening shortly after inspecting the 50-bed capacity isolation centre donated by former First Lady, late Maryam Babangida’s foundation, the El-Amin Foundation, in Minna.
Governor Bello expressed surprise over the discovery of the second case of the COVID-19 on Wednesday, barely one day after the first case was discovered, pointing out that the state as the gateway from South West to the northern parts of the country, there is a need for a testing laboratory for the COVID-19 in the state “to ease the stress of having to send samples to Abuja for analysis.
“But my appeal to NCDC is to assist and help us with at least one testing centre here, as I said earlier on, Niger State as a gateway, may not have the highest population but we have the largest landmass and anyone travelling by road from South West and going up North passes through Niger and if for nothing, we are exposed and we have to be prepared,” he said.
According to him, “at the moment, we are trying to work with NCDC to convert one out of the 12 laboratories into a test centre here in Minna. I believe we have what it takes because we only need to upgrade the facilities.”
The governor solicited the support of NCDC in managing the spread of the disease in the state, adding that the state government had provided thermometers for testing people that travel through the borders of the state to other parts of the country.
He then commended the state Ministry of Health and NCDC for their efforts so far in the fight against the further spread of the COVID-19 cases in the state and the country as a whole.
Earlier the state Commissioner for Health Dr. Muhammad Makusidi told the governor that the 50-bed capacity isolation centre donated by the El-Amin Foundation will attend to mild cases of the virus, while the one at the Minna General Hospital will handle those with severe cases.