COVID-19: NCDC Faces Challenges In Getting Sample Tests

Director General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, address the media (file image courtesy: NCDC)

Chikwe Ihekweazu, the Director-General of the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, has said that sample collection is the bottleneck the agency is facing.

Ihekweazu made this known while speaking at a press briefing organized by the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 on Wednesday.

He also revealed that the agency has increased its capacity to carry out tests on more people.

He said, “The bottleneck now is in getting the samples from the right people. We are now scaling up sample collection.

”We are helping Lagos State to set up sample collection facilities in 20 health facilities in the state.

“We want to make it easier for people who need to give samples to do so.

“Our call centre capacity has also improved; so, please call us if you need to.

“That is why we focus on Lagos and the FCT because of the efforts they are making to get more people tested.”

Ihekweazu also revealed that local manufacturers of sanitizers, protection equipments and other necessities are been sources for by the agency.

“In every crisis, there is an opportunity; there is an opportunity for you, if you are a local manufacturer, producing in line with regulatory standards.

“Everything we buy now in NCDC is from local manufacturers,” he said.

Ihekweazu also urged against the stigmatization of those infected by the virus.

“It could be any of us, none of us is immune to it, as it is a new disease,” he said.

. COVID-19: NCDC Faces Challenges In Getting Sample Tests Follow Concise News.