Abia State Specialist Hospital & Diagnostic Center, Amachara, has commenced laboratory analysis of suspected COVID-19 samples collected within the state.
This followed the nod given to the centre by the NCDC after their inspection visit last weekend. The team from NCDC also trained staff of the laboratory and supervised the analysis of the initial test samples with results tallying with that obtained at their facility in Abuja.
Speaking after conducting newsmen round the newly established COVID-19 testing laboratory the state Commissioner for Information, Chief John Okiyi Kalu, said that additional COVID-19 testing facilities would soon be set up at Aba, FMC Umuahia and Michael Okpara University, Umudike.
The Commissioner who said that a total of 93 COVID-19 patients have been managed and discharged in the state to date, also informed that the state government has commenced community and institutional case searching across the state and assured that the state has the resources to defeat the virus with everyone taking personal responsibility.
“We are not worried about likely increases in the number of confirmed cases in the state as we believe that finding and managing the cases in our state remain key to winning the war against community spread of COVID-19”, he said.
Also speaking, the state Commissioner for Health, Dr Joe Osuji said that the new testing facility has given Abia leverage and further boost in the fight against the rampaging pandemic as the state no longer has to take samples to other states for testing. He attributed the rising number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the state to increased testing, adding that Aba testing centre will be ready for use in a week’s time.
Answering questions from newsmen after conducting them round the newly installed laboratory, the focal person for the infection prevention and control of COVID-19 in Abia State, Dr Okorie Onuka said that the laboratory has two units including the PCR and GenXpert platforms, adding that the newly installed four-modular GenXpert equipment churns out results within 45minutes while the state will soon take delivery of another 16-modular GenXpert equipment imported by the state government.
He further informed that the centre commenced utilisation of the equipment for testing of COVID-19 patients two days ago while the samples already tested at the centre also tallied with that of NCDC in Abuja.
Speaking on the management of COVID-19 patients, Dr Ijeoma Nduka who is one of the Consultants at Amachara Isolation and Treatment Centre disclosed that a total of 93 COVID-19 patients have been discharged from isolation including the index two patients managed at FMC Umuahia. She further disclosed that the Amachara facility managed and discharged a 79-year-old patient with underlying medical conditions and called on COVID-19 patients to make themselves available for early isolation and management as the state has the needed resources to nurse them back to good health.
Dr Nduka informed that some patients who are asymptomatic may be allowed to isolate themselves at home after medical review with close monitoring and surveillance by the team.
