Coronavirus Testing Centre In Rivers Activated, Lab Can Handle 270 Samples Daily

 The Rivers State Government commenced Coronavirus testing at the molecular laboratory of the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital  on Thursday.  
The Rivers State Government in a statement issued on Friday after the inauguration of the lab said, “This will be a coordinated exercise that is aimed at heightening the fight against coronavirus.”

According to the statement, the testing centre is functioning with two PCR Machines from Shell Petroleum Development Company and the third from Total E and P.

The Chief Medical Director of  the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital, Dr. Friday Aaron, said that the lab had come on stream to assist the state  to fight Coronavirus. 

He said: “This evening we are here to celebrate,  because it has been our goal to get a testing centre  in Rivers State . Today , I am happy to announce that we can now do COVID-19 tests at the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital courtesy of the Rivers State Government ably led by our own Governor,  Nyesom Wike. 

“We also thank our partners,  SPDC and Total, who have continued to work with us to fight coronavirus. 

“The NCDC were here to install and activate the PCR machines .

“Since yesterday,  we started running tests and by this evening,  we will have results come from our lab. The good thing is that we have 3 PCR Machines that will serve Rivers people. “

He thanked Governor Wike for working hard to get a world class lab that would  ensure more people are tested and treated. 

He said: “We also have an edge over other states because we received a donation of over 3000 test kits and we have kits that came with the machines. 

“In this hospital , we have a state of the art molecular laboratory  now. We have a lab we use for HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis B and C. The NCDC said for COVID-19 testing we should get another laboratory.  We have been able to meet that requirement.”

“I congratulate our Governor and Rivers people for this achievement.  It is undergoing safety checks and we then got the approval of the NCDC to start collecting samples .”

The Chief Medical Director added   that people were not expected to come to the laboratory because samples would  be collected from the State Treatment Centre at Eleme and the State Ministry of Health. 

Okoli Innocent, Biomedical Engineer, NCDC, National Reference Laboratory said that they were in the state to install and activate the laboratory. 

“We are very happy with the progress the state has made in setting up this lab.

“We are confident that this lab can handle the challenge of testing for COVID-19. 

“We have three PCR Machines that can test 270 samples a day,” he said. 

Dr. Akinwumi Fajola, Regional Community Health Manager, SPDC-JV expressed happiness at the setting up of the coronavirus test lab in the state

He said: “We are very excited about what is happening here especially for the people of Rivers State. We are partnering with the Rivers State Government and we have been able to donate two PCR machines which are now at work at the RSUTH. 

“We have also provided test kits , we have provided RNA extraction test kits and all those things that will help the molecular biology testing in this laboratory. 

“We are excited about what the Rivers State Government has done here, a very good facility. I am happy about the infection prevention and control at this facility. “