Richard Elesho/ Lokoja
 
After months of denial, the Kogi State Government has finally come to terms with the reality of the novel Coronavirus disease in it’s territory. To reenforce the new thinking the Government has established
Laboratories for testing of COVID-19 at designated Isolation Centres in Lokoja, the state capital.

This was made known on Monday by the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Saka Haruna while speaking at the sensitization programme on COVID-19 Prevention and Control Guidelines held at the Ministry of Health Headquarters in Lokoja.

Following the development, citizens have been advised to make good use of the opportunity to obtain their COVID-19 status.

The commissioner said that the programme which was organized by the ministry for the public, security agencies, healthcare practitioners, religious organizations and local government personnels was aimed at containing the spread of corona virus pandemic across the state.

Dr. Haruna also disclosed that testing and treatment of COVID-19 can now be carried out in Kogi State noting that the Laboratories currently put in place were capable of attending to 94 patients within 24 hours to obtain their status.

He affirmed that COVID-19 is real and Governor Yahaya Bello’s administration strongly believe in the existence of the pandemic across the globe noting that the area where the State Government is against was the importation of the preventive measures from the western world.

The commissioner however, maintain that “Kogi State Government will not recognise any test for COVID-19 done/conducted without involvement of the state team”.

Participants at the sensitization programme were educated on the use of Sanitizers/Frequent Hand wash, Face masks, Physical distancing, Protocol on places of gathering, Laboratory test for COVID-19 and Case management.