The private sector-led Coalition Against the COVID-19 (CACOVID), on Monday, announced the donation of N1.4bn worth of medical supplies and additional 26,400 test kits.
The test kits and medical equipment, enough to set up six fully functional Coronavirus medical laboratories in the fight against the pandemic were presented at the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, Lagos office.
Making the presentation, Managing Director/Chief Executive, Aliko Dangote Foundation, Zouera Youssoufou commended the efforts of the public health institute in the fight against the virus and expressed optimism that the test kits and medical supplies would further expand testing capabilities nationwide to supplement critical health infrastructure need and combat the virus.
“On behalf of COCAVID, we are delighted to hand over the following items to you – MicPCR Realtime PCR Systems; RNA Extraction Kits; Well PCR Tube Strips; Well Semi-skirted PCR Plates; Pipette Tips; Oral and Nasal Swab Sets; Tongue Depressors, Viral Transport Media; Disposable Latex Medical Gloves etc,” Zouera said.
Receiving the items, on behalf of the Director General of the NCDC, Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, Deputy Director, NCDC, Lagos office, Mrs. Babatunde Olajumoke, thanked CACOVID for the donation, describing the gesture as integral to the success of the country’s COVID-19 response.
According to her, “the capacity to test is very integral to the success of COVID-19 response by confirming, isolating, managing cases and containing outbreak in communities. The NCDC, DG had earlier communicated plans to expand testing to 3 million people in 3 months and donations like this will surely help in achieving this goal.”
Applauding the coalition for committing invaluable resources towards this cause, Team Lead, NCDC, Rapid Response Team Lagos, Dr. Kola Jinadu, said the continuous support and donations by CACOVID over the past months has saved so many lives.
This donation comes on the heels of the recent commissioning of a 150-bed isolation centre in Yaba, Lagos, one of the 38 isolation centers set up across the nation to provide adequate treatment to those infected by the virus and stop the overall spread of the virus within the state.
So far, CACOVID has committed billions of naira to build 38 fully equipped isolation centers across Nigeria with over 5,000 beds and critical medical equipment needed to fight the pandemic, exemplifying sustainable value addition from a partnership that truly works.
Caption: Dr. Kola Jinadu, Team, Lead, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Rapid Response Team, Lagos; Osayi Alile, CEO, ACT Foundation; Zouera Youssoufou, MD/CEO, Aliko Dangote Foundation and Mrs.Babatunde Olajumoke, Deputy director, Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC), Lagos Office at the presentation of test kits and medical laboratory equipment to Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC), Lagos on Saturday 4 July 2020.
