Ogun state government tasks residents on second round of community-based coronavirus testing

The Ogun State Government has called on residents  of the state to take advantage of the ongoing second phase of its community-based coronavirus testing which is free of charge.

Penpushing reports that Commissioner for Health, Dr Tommy Coker made the call in a statement, adding that the exercise would be held across the 20 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the State from Monday to Friday between the hours of 8am and 3pm for the next three months.

The Commissioner revealed in a statement that sample collection would be carried out in one specified primary healthcare center (PHC) in each local government area, saying health personnel in the Primary Health Centres( PHCs) have been trained specifically for this purpose.

Penpushing further reports that, she said once samples have been collected, the health personnel would transfer them to the designated laboratory within the State for testing, adding that this method will not only lead to increased testing but also help reveal the true burden of the disease in the State vis-à-vis positivity rate.

The Commissioner, urged residents to present themselves for the exercise without nursing any form of fear or misgivings, explaining that  the decision to domesticate coronavirus testing in the council areas was founded on the national recommendation of community-based testing as a means to improving early case detection and treatment of both Symptomatic and asymptomatic cases.

Penpushing also reports that Coker said, evidence has shown that, increased testing, including those done within communities will improve case detection, ascertain the true status of infectivity and thus help in limiting spread of the infection, particularly through unrecognized local transmission.