The Lagos State Government on Tuesday said it was facing a shortage of reagents for COVID-19 tests.
The state Commissioner for Information, Mr Gbenga Omotosho, disclosed this in an interview with The PUNCH, as the Federal Capital Territory disclosed that it was battling a shortage of test kits.
Omotosho in an interview with one of our correspondents said the state only received personal protective equipment and other materials donated by a Chinese billionaire, Jack Ma
He said, “The state got things from Jack Ma, but not test kits. The PPE and some other materials, not test kits.
“The governor said that the shortage of reagents is a global problem, it is not a Lagos problem. The kind of tests we are conducting in Lagos and in Nigeria is called molecular testing, which experts say is 99.9 per cent correct. The people selling the reagents are now doing as if it is gold. Lagos is looking for ways of working directly with suppliers outside the country.
“The truth is that Lagos is battling with shortage of reagents, but we will keep on collecting samples.”
The governors had on Monday said 3,000 samples were waiting to be tested in Lagos.
FCT faces shortage of test kits
The FCT Administration also said that it was facing a shortage of test kits for COVID-19.
According to the NCDC, Abuja has 254 persons on admission, 40 discharged and three deaths.
The Special Assistant (Media) to the FCT minister, Abubakar Sani, explained on Tuesday that “The FCT is facing the global challenge of a shortage of test kits.”
He added,” The more kits we get, the more FCTA will perform tests to identify those infected and isolate them.”
Jigawa records 32 fresh cases
The Jigawa State Governor, Badaru Abubakar, has set up a five-man committee to investigate alleged death of 100 people in the last 10 days.
The state Chairman, COVID 19 Task force, Dr Abba Zakari, who is also the Commissioner of Health, told journalist in Dutse, the state capital, that this followed a community report over the increasing number of deaths in the area.
Also, 32 new cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in Jigawa, bringing the total number of infected persons in the state to 72.
While giving an update on the COVID-19 cases in the state on Tuesday, the state governor said 57 samples were taken from contacts of infected persons in five local government areas out of which 32 tested positive.
Gombe COVID-19 patients leave isolation, protest inadequate food, medical attention
Coronavirus patients at the isolation centre in Kwadon, Gombe State on Tuesday protested what they referred to as their abandonment by the state government.
One of our correspondents observed that the protesters who blocked the federal road leading to the Dadinkowa-Biu Expressway, demanded the transfer of a female patient in the centre because of the odour from her wound.
The patients protested against government’s negligence, inadequate food and medical attention in the isolation centre.
Confirming the incident the Commissioner for Information and spokesperson of the state task force, Alhassan Ibrahim, said the task force would make life bearable for the patients.
He said, “It is really unfortunate that there was disquiet at the Kwadon isolation centre. It was was caused by the patients there. They predicated their grievances on three premises, one that they were not given drugs, or medication. It will interest all of us to know that all of them there are asymptomatic, meaning they don’t have symptoms.
