The Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire, insists that Covid-19 test in government-run facilities remain free of charge.
He has, therefore, called on Nigerians to report anyone who demands for payment to the authorities for necessary action.
Ehanire disclosed this at the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 media briefing in Abuja, Monday.
He revealed that Nigeria had recorded a total of 28,711 confirmed COVID-19 cases out of 152,952 tests conducted, of which 11,665 have been treated successfully and discharged. 645 fatalities were, however, recorded.
According to the Minister, “taking the statistics of the month of June alone, a total of 15,532 cases were confirmed from 74,580 tests, with 303 deaths on record.
“This means that just under half of the total fatalities so far recorded, occurred in the single month of June; while we more than doubled the tests done and the number of cases detected. The reduction in case fatality rate is down to about 2.2%, in line with our plan, going forward. But it also draws our attention to the speed with which COVID-19 is growing, the time it took to double itself, and the reminder that we need to improve on our responses, to continue to strive for the best and prepare for worse.”
Ehanire further disclosed that his ministry has concluded plans to boost overall COVID-19 sample collection.
This, he said, the ministry will do be by preparing all eligible public and private hospitals nationwide to become collection sites.
“This will require working with State governments and NPHCDA to identify the facilities and the space within them, to conduct training for the personnel selected and supply both PPEs and sample collection kits, as well as the logistics to go around to recover test samples, and so better utilize available laboratory assets in the country, which even now are capable of handling far more cases than they presently do.”
