The private sector-led coalition against COVID-19 (CACOVID) has ordered for 250,000 supplies for tests and another 150,000 extraction kits to fast-track molecular testing for the deadly coronavirus
According to CACOVID, no less than 1.7mn households would benefit from its food relief package as part of complementary efforts to help alleviate the effects of the lockdown and restrictions adopted by governments across the nation.
Briefing newsmen in Lagos on the group's activities in helping the Federal Government halt the spread of the virus, leaders of CACOVID stated that the coalition has set up isolation centres in five states of Lagos, Kano, Rivers, Borno and Enugu as well as FCT, while renovations of hospitals and medical supplies are being carried out in other states.
Zouera Youssoufou, CEO of Aliko Dangote Foundation (ADF), explained that all the partners in CACOVID are ready to roll out in all parts of the country having commenced building and equipping of isolation centres in some states.
According to her, there are three testing platforms for molecular testing in Nigeria, one of which is the “Open PCR machines”, which the coalition has ordered for 10 units, with eight laboratories certified to conduct COVID-19 tests.
Youssoufou said, “Open PCR machine is currently the standard platform. Eight labs in Nigeria are certified to conduct COVID-19 testing; 10 new PCR machines and 150,000 extraction kits have been ordered. The other is Roche Cobus Platform with six machines in Nigeria, each capable of testing 960 tests at a time. Nigeria was on track to receive 38,000 but we have ordered 250,000.”
Herbert Wigwe, group managing director of Access Bank Plc, said that the CACOVID-19 is approaching the fight against the virus from three levels. “One, it was clear from beginning that no one institution can go it alone, so we solicit everybody’s cooperation in tackling this scourge. Two, while several measures are being taken to stop the spread, including lockdowns, restriction, social distancing, there is the need to address the hunger.”
Wigwe explained that the third level was the thought leadership aspect of the plan which is to tackle the post-pandemic aspect.
The CEO of MTN Nigeria Ferdi Moolman urged other private sector organisations which are yet to identify with CACOVID in the onerous task to join hands and make their modest contributions.
