The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, has activated a molecular diagnostic laboratory for the testing of COVID 19 samples and other viral diseases in Akwa Ibom State.
The NCDC team led by Bamidele Oluwafemi who paid a courtesy visit to the Secretary to the State Government, Emmanuel Ekuwem applauded the state government for building the laboratory situated at the General Hospital, Ituk Mbang where the treatment centre is located. Oluwafemi described the molecular diagnostic laboratory as one of the best in the country and one that merts all NCDC standards.
Secretary to the State Government and chairman of the state COVID-19 Committee, Emmanuel Ekuwem, expressed appreciation to the NCDC for approving the laboratory and for adjudging it and the 300-bed treatment centre as one of the best in the country.
Ekuwem praised Governor Udom Emmanuel for his commitment towards providing world class medical facilities with more health facilities on the way.
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The state COVID 19 Incident Manager and Commissioner for Health, Dominic Ukpong stated that with the activation of the Polymarese Chain Reaction, PCR, category 3 diagnostic laboratory the state has been saved the trouble of taking COVID 19 samples for testing to other states.
The NCDC team has been in the state for some days to inspect, activate and train personnel on how to carry out COVID 19 tests and interpret the results.
(Editor Nkoli Omhoudu)
