FG to Spend N8.49bn for Acquisition of Coronavirus Testing Equipment
The federal government is to spend N8.49 bn for acquisition of coronavirus testing equipment which will include sample collection kits as part of the efforts to fight against the pandemic.
The Minister of Health, Dr. Osage Ehanire, told newsmen Wednesday that the Federal Executive Council (FEC) gave its approval for the purchase of the items.
Ehanire said the Presidential Task Force (PTF) has approved that the items will be used by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).
He also said that sample collection will be established in all the 774 local government areas of the country.
He said, “This memo is as a result of Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 pandemic and special intervention fund for COVID-19 which is operated by the Presidential Task Force. It allocates these resources for NCDC’s preparedness.
“So, we are procuring testing materials right from sample materials to other kits’ diagnostics in our laboratory systems, to be able to respond properly to the community transmission phase.
“We have already made plans to have at least one sample collection center in every local government, minimum of 774 and these resources will be necessary to go around the 774 local government areas, to ensure that persons in rural areas and small towns are not excluded and to ensure that not only the big cities are the ones that are being attended to. So, that is the basis for the memo. The cost is N8.49 billion to procure the items that are involved. There are a total of 12 items, the quantities involved are large numbers which will be sent out later”.
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