NCDC Partners Eight States On Covid 19 Rapid Diagnostic Testing

By Ayodele Oni

Ondo state is among the eight states picked by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, (NCDC) as one of the centres for the implementation of Antigen Rapid Diagnostic Testing (AgRDT) on Covid 19 pandemic.

Already, officials of the NCDC have arrived Akure, the Ondo State capital to begin the execution of the project.

The team, from the NCDC paid an advocacy visit to the State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Banji Awolowo Ajaka in Akure

during which members were assured of the state government’s unflinching support and were briefed on efforts of the administration in tackling the pandemic.

The Commissioner expressed optimism that complementing the ongoing efforts on vaccination with testing would undoubtedly eradicate the pandemic completely.

The Leader of the team, Mr.Celestine Ameh, who noted that the title of the project is ‘COVID-19: Scaling Impact Through Agenda RDT’ called for collaborations and synergy, stressing that the eight states in the country including Ondo  have been selected for the project.

Ameh pointed out that the World Health Organization, (WHO) workstream prioritised active, exhaustive case finding and immediate testing, adding that Nigeria has keyed into the strategy of scale up on testing on COVID-19.

He explained that the main objective of the project is to increase COVID-19 testing capacities towards preventing local outbreaks.

Also speaking at the meeting, the Director, Disease Control and Immunization at the Ondo State Primary Health Care Agency(OSPHCA), Dr. Victor Adefesoye said Ondo State is ready to collaborate with NCDC knowing fully well that the project would impact positively on the people of the state.

Adefesoye stressed the need to complement the ongoing vaccination against COVID-19 with testing in order to achieve better outcomes adding that the new strategy would undoubtedly ensure a high coverage of testing for the disease.

The Director, Epidemiology and Disease Control, Ministry of Health, Dr. Stephen Fagbemi noted that the project is the second phase of intervention projects Ondo State would get as the World Health Organisation(WHO) had earlier supported the state.

Fagbemi described the state’s positivity level as going higher in the new year, saying that the situation was an indication that there is the need to scale up efforts in testing.

The State Epidemiologist disclosed that the proposed COVID-19 testing strategies of the state include the establishment of mobile RDT testing sites, strengthening and scaling up of facility RDT sites and establishment of community testing sites.