COVID-19: Lagos To Test 120,000 In 2Months

Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu says the State plans to scale up its testing capacity for COVID-19 from 850 to 1500 and 2000 daily, testing 120,000 in two months.

Sanwo-Olu, revealed this among other plans, during a live broadcast on Saturday on COVID-19 situation in the state. 

He however said the possibility is subjected to the availability of COVID-19 testing kits considering the acute global shortage.

According to the Sanwo-Olu,

“Let me say, as I have said before, that the success of our efforts, at ramping up testing, is part of the reason why we are seeing a significant escalation in the number of cases in Lagos State.

“Quite clearly, also, we are firmly in the community transmission stage of the infection, and the only way to be sure we are making all the right decisions is ensuring that we continue to scale up testing.

“We now have four testing facilities in Lagos State, and we remain grateful to the NCDC and all other partners who are involved.

“Our combined lab capacity is at about 850 tests daily. This is easily scalable to 1500 and 2000 subject to the availability of extraction kits considering the acute global shortage.

“Lagos State has paid for over 20,000 extraction kits and has placed an order for another 20,000 in its bid to test at least 120,000 in the next 60 days.

“50 per cent of the backlog, I spoke about recently, has been cleared which is also responsible for the recent seemingly high rate of positive cases in the last couple of days.

“Suppliers of kits are the manufacturers and their local representatives. However, the bid is open to any company with repute and integrity who can supply the desired kits to specification.

“In this same vein, I have also mandated the state laboratory apparatus to commence the local production of certain items used for the diagnostic process and this has commenced already.

“We have also started a biweekly procurement of laboratory needs to prevent running out of these materials going forward, until at least 120,000 tests are done in about 2 months.