The private sector-led Coalition Against COVID-19 said it has donated to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control N1.4bn worth of medical supplies and additional 26,400 test kits sufficient to set up six fully functional COVID-19 medical laboratories.
CACOVID said in a statement on Sunday that the donation was part of its efforts to boost COVID-19 testing across the country.
Presenting the test kits and medical equipment at the NCDC, Lagos office, the Chief Executive Officer, Aliko Dangote Foundation, Zouera Youssoufou, commended the efforts of the public health institute in the fight against the virus.
She expressed optimism that the test kits and medical supplies provided would further expand testing capabilities across the nation to meet critical health infrastructure needs to combat the virus.
Youssoufou said, “On behalf of COCAVID, we are delighted to hand over the following items to you – MicPCR Realtime PCR Systems; RNA extraction kits; well PCR tube strips; well semi-skirted PCR plates; pipette tips; oral and nasal swab sets; tongue depressors, viral transport media; and disposable latex medical gloves, among others.
‘These items can sufficiently set up six medical laboratories and collect samples for over 26,400 people.”
Receiving the items in Lagos, the Deputy Director, NCDC, Lagos office, Mrs Babatunde Olajumoke, thanked CACOVID for the donation and described the gesture as integral to the success of COVID-19 response in the country.
She said, “On behalf of the Director-General of the NCDC, Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu, we want to thank you for your help in strengthening national COVID-19 response. We acknowledge and applaud your contributions.
“The capacity to test is very integral to the success of COVID-19 response by confirming, isolating, managing cases and containing outbreak in communities.
“The NCDC DG had earlier communicated plans to expand testing to three million people in three months, and donations like this will surely help in achieving this goal.”
Also speaking at the event, the Team Lead, NCDC, Rapid Response Team Lagos, Dr Kola Jinadu, said the continuous support and donations by CACOVID over the last few months had saved many lives.
He thanked the coalition for committing invaluable resources towards the cause.
CACOVID said the donation came after the recent inauguration of a 150-bed isolation centre in Yaba, Lagos, one of the 38 isolation centres set up across the nation to provide adequate treatment to those infected by the virus and stop the overall spread of the virus within the state.