Rivers begins COVID-19 testing at state university teaching hospital
In continuation of the fight against the spread of coronavirus in Rivers State, the government has formally commenced testing for the virus at the molecular laboratory of the Rivers state University Teaching Hospital.
Health professionals tested samples at the Rivers state University Teaching Hospital (RSUTH) COVID-19 testing centre on Friday.
The effort will be a coordinated exercise aimed at heightening the fight against coronavirus in the state.
The Rivers state RSUTH COVID-19 Testing Centre is functioning with two PCR machines donated by Shell Petroleum Development Company and the third from Total E and P.
Chief Medical Director of Rivers State University Teaching Hospital, Dr. Friday Aaron, who revealed these said that the laboratory had come on stream to assist the state 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 testing at the Rivers state University Teaching Hospital courtesy of the 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 staff 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 laboratory. The good thing is that we have three PCR machines that will serve Rivers people,” he said.
He thanked Governor Wike for working hard to get a world class laboratory that would ensure more people were tested and treated.
He said: “We also have an edge over other states because we received a donation of over 3,000 test kits and we have kits that came with the machines.
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“In this hospital, we have a state of the art molecular laboratory before now. That laboratory we use it 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 up that request.
“I congratulate our governor and Rivers people for this achievement. It is undergoing safety checks and we then get the approval of the NCDC to start collecting samples,” the chief medical director explained.
He however, said 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.
