COVID-19: NCDC Approves BUK Test Centre

The fight against the COVID-19 pandemic has stepped up in Kano as the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has approved the COVID-19 Test Centre of the Centre for Infectious Diseases, Bayero University, Kano (BUK), describing it as world class stuffed with fantastic facilities.

NCDC Chief Molecular Bio-Engineer, Dr. Ndodo Nnaemeka stated that NCDC management was satisfied  when it assessed facilities at the Test Centre.
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Speaking during the Vice Chancellor of BUK, Prof. Muhammad Yahuza Bello’s visit to the Test Laboratory situated at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH), Nnaemeka described the establishment of the BUK Test Centre as a huge relief that will help enormously in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to him, “we have assessed the facilities here and we very impressed with what is on ground. This is a fantastic facility. This is a world class testing center which will serve Nigeria fo a very long time.”

Speaking during the event, Prof. Bello who is also the chairman of Kano state COVID-19 Fund Raising Committee emphasized that trying of suspected cases remains Central in the fight against COVID-19.

He said, ” the importance of testing in fighting COVID-19 cannot be over-emphasized. There is need to test those who are exposed to the virus. Without testing, COVID-19 will be spreading like wild fire.”

He added that the establishment of the Centre became very imperative so as to complements NCDC Test Centre which has the capacity of testing only 40 samples per day.

Prof. Bello revealed that the new BUK Test Centre has the capacity of testing 180 samples per day, just as he said arrangments are being made to expand and increase the testing capacity.

He said all set for the Test Centre to commence operation as it is awaiting the final approval by NCDC, adding that, ” once they supply us samples, we will commence testing.”

According him, NCDC has already trained enough workers from various departments who have been employed to work in the testing centre.

He also spoke about the prototype ventilator produced by the BUK Emergency Ventilator Team, adding that the ventilator will be ready in one month time, after being tested for humans.

He said already, the University is in discussion
with the Peogeuot  Automobile of Nigeria (PAN) to enter into commercial production of the locally produced ventilators.