Nigeria: Covid-19 - Govt Blames States for Low Testing

By Abbas Jimoh

The federal government has said that despite the resources made available to states across the country, testing is very low across them in varying degrees.

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) and Chairman of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19, Mr. Boss Mustapha, said this on Tuesday in Abuja at the joint national briefing on the taskforce.

According to him, this is not helping the national response and that some states have not reported any infections in several weeks.

He also urged the states to keep their isolation/treatment centres open to address the rising cases of infection nationwide.

He said the national response was passing through a challenging phase due to the seriousness of the second wave of infections in Nigeria.

The SGF said Week 52 has so far given the nation the highest number of infections, in a single week, to date.

He said the nation's test positivity ratio (TPR) analysis shows that 16 out of every 100 tests carried out are positive.

"We are also seeing increasing transmission among younger people and this is not considered good and safe. We must therefore exercise utmost restraint by taking responsibility," he added.

The SGF also said with effect from January 1, 2021, the passports of the first 100 passengers that failed to take their seven-day post-arrival PCR test would be published in the national dailies.

Also, the Federal Government has said that the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) will check and approve COVID-19 or any vaccine that will be administered in the country.

This article originally appeared on Daily Trust

Photo: Ploy Phutpheng/WHO