NCDC okays  COOUTH as COVID-19 testing Centre

AWKA, Anambra, Nigeria – Chukwuemeka  Odumegwu Ojukwu  University Teaching Hospital (COOUTH) Amaku, Awka Anambra state has been approved as one of the coronavirus testing centres by the Nigeria Centre for  Disease Control (NCDC).

This was sequel to the Federal Government determination to increase the number of testing centres by making use of institutions that have  required equipment across the country.

The approval was contained in  an NCDC document titled National Strategy to Scale Up Access to Coronavirus Disease testing in Nigeria, published on April 15,2020.

According to the document, the federal ministry of  health through NCDC has prioritised testing as one of  the key strategy to the COVID-19 response in Nigeria  and in order to contain the outbreak, government has decided to rapidly scale diagnostic centres to cover all the 36 states and Abuja.

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The document further added that  ,by 14 of April 2020, Nigeria has  only 12 functional testing facilities in eight states with the capacity to conduct  minimal of 1500 tests  per day in Lagos and 1000 tests per day in Abuja and others.

The document further said that in order to characterise the outbreak and understand the transmission of COVID-19, more people need to be tested,noting that  to  achieve  good results, means leveraging  on capacities  and assets from other national disease programmes for efficiency .

Speaking on the development, the Chief Medical Director of the Teaching Hospital,  Dr Basil Nwankwo who confirmed  the  approval told  our reporter  that   the institution has the   requisite facilities to work and ensure that the pandemic is contained.

He said “Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital Amaku has been designated as a COVID-19 testing centre and they will do all within their capacity  to support the fight against the spread of  the  scourge” he said .

According to him, the   governor of the state, chief Willie Obiano was desirous of making sure  that the centre begins operation immediately.