Bauchi State Government says that formal testing and reporting of COVID-19 samples will henceforth be conducted in its Reference Molecular Laboratory as directed by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).
The state Commissioner of Health, Dr Aliyu Maigoro, said this in a statement made available on Tuesday in Bauchi.
“I have received an email letter from NCDC directing Bauchi Reference Molecular Laboratory to start formal testing and reporting from Bauchi.
“We are going to do all our testing and reporting from the reference laboratory here in Bauchi as from June 2, 2020.
“Further delay will raise questions regarding the status of the laboratory because it was posted in the NCDC websites as the number 29th of the reference molecular laboratories in the country.
“Henceforth, no sample should be taken to Jos, Plateau State, until otherwise; the laboratory has come to stay.
“As such we must work as a team for the benefit of mankind and the good people of Bauchi state.
“I have forwarded to the Chairman of the state COVID-19 response team, request for payment of weekly allowances of all workers concerned with the laboratory from the professors down to the security men,” he said.
The commissioner said that the state would continue solving minor problems as well as proper maintenance of the laboratory.
The COVID-19 testing laboratory was built and equipped by the state government with the support of the North East Development Commission (NEDC).
