Kogi explains why COVID-19 tests are not being carried out in the state

The Kogi State Government on Wednesday explained that it suspended testing for COVID-19 in order to install a bio safety cabinet at its laboratory.

This it said was consequent upon a professional advice and the need to protect health workers in the state.

The state government also called for calm over claims it is not carrying out enough tests on people, as to justify the position that it is yet to record any positive case of the Coronavirus disease.

It would be recalled that the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), had in a published report on Tuesday, revealed that only one sample has so far been received from the state, which returned negative.

The state Commissioner for Health, Dr Saka Haruna, in a statement on Wednesday, said the state government remained committed to fighting COVID-19.

He said: “It is also important that we dismiss the notion that we are not inclined towards testing for the virus. What then will be the use of procuring over 5,000 test kits worth several tens of millions of naira? We have never been known in the past to be complacent with the life of our people and we will not be found wanting at such a critical time. This, we can assure all Kogites.

“After our initial wave of testing, we received professional advice from our laboratory scientists, on the urgent need to install a biosafety cabinet for their own safety, even if all those who have been tested so far returned negative. Our duty is to protect the lives of everyone, including our health workers; thus necessitating our temporary suspension of testing for three days, till the requested biosafety cabinet was provided. We are happy to inform you that it has now been installed and testing will resume shortly.”

Read also: COVID-19: Health workers call for uniform directive on movement restriction, vow to stay at home

According to him, the public should be rest assured that the state governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, will continue to make the health of the people a priority.

“Despite the pandemic and dwindling fortunes of all states in the Country, construction and equipping of Health facilities worth Billions of Naira are ongoing across the state in the three Senatorial Districts. This is a pointer to the fact that we intend to revamp the Health sector,” he added.

He further noted that everyone can attest to the fact that the rot in the health sector has been exposed by the Coronavirus disease across the country.

“It is therefore our resolve to make sure that eventually people will have access to quality and affordable health care services that they can be proud of”, Haruna said.

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