The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has activated the newly inaugurated Bayelsa State Molecular Laboratory, Research and Diagnostic Centre as a COVID testing laboratory in the country.
The facility, which was inaugurated by Governor Douye Diri on Tuesday, brought the number of NCDC accredited laboratories in the country to 66 in 34 states.
The NCDC in a letter signed by the Laboratory Network Advisor, Celestina Obiekea, and addressed to the Bayelsa State Commissioner for Health, stated that the laboratory had fulfilled the necessary requirements for a molecular laboratory to test for COVID as well as met all successful validations and optimisations.
It further explained that the state will be responsible for procurement of consumables, equipment and other materials while the NCDC will support it with reagents and tests kits.
“This is to officially inform you that having fulfilled the necessary requirements for a molecular laboratory to test for COVID and all successful validations and optimisations, the Molecular Biology Laboratory at the Bayelsa Medical University is now activated as a COVID testing laboratory in Nigeria.
“The state will be primarily responsible for procurement of consumables, equipment and other materials while NCDC will support with reagents and tests kits as available to all labs at the national level.
“The lab is required to report daily test statistics to NCDC as part of the national testing data,” the NCDC stated.