Vice President Yemi Osinbajo says Nigeria has expanded its public health response capabilities.
He noted that the country has been making progress in the public health sector since the nation’s first COVID-19 case in February 2020.
Osinbajo spoke on Friday at the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) Reference Laboratory, Gaduwa, Abuja.
The VP underwent a facility tour, accompanied by the Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire; Minister of State for Health, Adeleke Olorunnimbe Mamora; and Director-General, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Chikwe Ihekweazu.
“We have a critical situation on our hands currently with the increasing number of cases being recorded”, Osinbajo said.
He disclosed that nearly 120 laboratories have been activated nationwide, 70 of them public labs.
Osinbajo said this has significantly ramped up our testing and case management capacity.
“Not so long ago, test samples had to be flown out of the country for examination. This is no longer the case as we now have the capacity to process samples internally.”
“This very facility is a testament to the strides that we have made during a short period. While we are not yet where we want to be as a nation, we are most certainly not where we were at the onset of the pandemic.”
He thanked all health workers for their efforts since the outbreak of coronavirus.
Osinabjo paid tribute to the late NCDC staff, Uche Njoku, who died in the course of service.
Nigeria making progress, we used to test samples abroad – Osinbajo
