Covid-19: Kebbi increases sample collection, laboratory testing

The Kebbi State government has increased sample collection and laboratory testing on Covid-19 in order to mitigate the impact of the pandemic.

The Commissioner for Health, Jafar Muhammad, stated this in Birnin Kebbi on Monday while declaring open a training workshop organised by the Ministry of Health personnel in the state with the theme ‘Kebbi State Ramp Up Testing of Covid-19 Program’.

“We deem it fit to ramp up sample collection and lab testing with a view to significantly increase effective control measures of the pandemic,” Muhammad said.

According to him, testing in all the 21 local government areas to the tune of 450 samples would be carried out within two weeks in the Ramp Up Testing of Covid 19 Program in the state.

“This is going to take place within period of two weeks so that it will enable us collect samples and test these samples, from the testing we will have an idea on the spread of Covid-19 generally in the state,” he said.

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The commissioner said the decision to increase testing of the pandemic in the state was to keep abreast of level of spread in accordance with the stipulation of the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).

He emphasised that the state government has placed premium on fighting the spread of the pandemic in the state which made it necessary to ramp up testing among the people to detect those carrying the virus for treatment.

He appealed to local government councils to cooperate with health workers as well as enlighten their communities about the programme to ensuring success.

The commissioner, while calling on the health workers to discharge their duties diligently, thanked Governor Abubakar Atiku Bagudu for giving the task force all the necessary support for the effective discharge of its mandate.

Presenting the Covid-19 update in the state, the director of public health, Abubakar Bagudu Muhammad, announced that Kebbi State recorded 306 positive cases to date with minimal fatalities.

Aminu Haliru Bunza, permanent secretary and chief medical director of Sir Yahaya Memorial Hospital, Birnin Kebbi, made a presentation on Infection Prevention and Control for Covid-19.