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Passengers to pay for COVID-19 PCR tests from August 29th

Nigeria hangs on to fading PCR test as countries ease travel

The federal government on Monday announced that passengers will be expected to pay for their COVID-19 (polymerase chain reaction) PCR test from Saturday, 29th August 2020

This as the government said it will fine those airlines who flaunts the passengers’ PCR test, $3500, per passenger

National Coordinator of the Presidential Task Force PTF COVID-19, Sani Aliyu, disclosed this on Monday at the regular national briefing in Abuja

Aliyu, while giving a detailed breakdown of the protocols to be observed before August 29th resumption of the flight said the government has mandated aviation authorities to prepare for the opening of international flights from the 29th of August 2020.

“From the 29th of August, travelers will be required to pay for their COVID-19 test in-country.

“We are developing a national payment portal which will link to the current Lagos payment portal that is already active for passengers.

“We would allow accredited private laboratories in the country to provide these services.

He stated that the PTF would provide airlines and passengers additional information on the payment portal and the list of accredited laboratories, as well as sample collection centres across the country, on the payment platform as well as the NCDC website

Aliyu advised all travelers coming into the country to abide by the quarantine protocols currently in place

“We would be continuing with the process of requesting a negative PCR result for all passengers boarding to travel to Nigeria.

Aliyu who stated that the test must be PCR test, said “we cannot accept uncertified results.”

“we’re concerned about the quality of some of the results we are getting and the discrepancies when passengers are tested in-country.

“For this reason, the protocol that has just been approved by the PTF would be reviewed after four weeks and we would be looking at the level of discrepancies between the negative and the positive results.

“We are working with various embassies and we insist that passengers use these laboratories for the test.

” We are narrowing the period of validity for the  PCR test from the current 14 days to 7 days from the 29th of August.

He, therefore, advised intending travelers to Nigeria to ensure they tested negative for COVID 19 PCR before coming into the country.

“Preferably, the PCR test must be done as close as possible from departure from  Nigeria from 48 to 72 hours, but we still accept results that are valid within 7 days.

Aliyu announced that Nigeria is currently developing a payment portal, as the PCR tests for all the evacuation flights are being sponsored by the Aliko Dangote Foundation.

“We are very grateful as we have had more than 13 000 stranded Nigerians brought into the country through this process.

READ ALSO: What arriving air passengers must do following international flight resumption Sep 5th

“We would provide you with additional information on the payment portal and the list of accredited laboratories, as well as sample collection centres across the country, on the payment platform as well as the NCDC website.

To ease the discomfort that passengers may likely face, Aliyu said the PTF is working on a self-declaratory form that is going to be on electronic format, and passengers will be asked to get this form immediately before boarding so that it would be submitted and they cleared when they arrive.

“We would continue with the policy that ensures that Airlines brought in passengers without the symptoms of COVID and with negative PCR results.

“Airlines will be fined 3500 dollars per passenger if they fail to abide by pre-boarding COVID requirements.

“On arrival in-country from the 29ths of August, passports will no longer be retained by the Nigerian Immigration Service, rather Passengers will be allowed to proceed and exit the Airport, once they can show evidence that they’re negative COVID PCR results, evidence of payment for a repeat PCR results in the country.

He said passengers will be asked to proceed on self-isolation at home for a period of seven days on arrival.

“On day seven, they will proceed to their sample collection centre and an accredited laboratory for a repeat of PCR test.

“If the COVID-19 PCR test is negative, the passenger will be allowed to exit the isolation,” he said

The Minister of State for Health, Olorunimbe Mamora, in his speech, said the government would continue to review and strive for improvement in the treatment of COVID-19 symptomatic cases, older adults, and those with already existing medical conditions with the view to reducing Nigeria’s case fatality rate.

He emphasized that the  Ministry of Health shall ensure that routine services are strengthened.

“This pandemic has further underscored the importance of immunization and vaccination to good health. Strengthening routine immunization shall continue to receive attention especially as Nigeria will receive her polio-free certification this week”.

Mamora said the Ministry has continued to interface with different professional groups using different fora such as meeting via online platforms locally and internationally to keep in touch with new findings and treatment measures.

Chairman of the PTF, Boss Mustapha, said the organization last week commissioned 456 Motorcycles and Computers to enhance the Routine Immunization Officers’ ability for supportive supervision of service providers, and support the generation and on-site utilisation of programme data to continuously improve the quality of the immunization programme in Nigeria.

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