Commissioner Hails Commencement Of Testing At Reference Lab

The Cross River State Commissioner for Health, Dr Betta Edu, has lauded the laboratory pillar of the State Emergency Organising Committee (EOC) and Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) for their efforts in the commencement of testing at the Reference lab in Calabar.
Commissioner Edu, who expressed her appreciation during State EOC meeting at School of Midwifery along Moore Road Calabar, advised the Lab Manager, Mr Obeten, to link up with FHi 360 in their promise to rebuild the make shift tent at Dr Lawrence Hospital test lab and ensure they start testing without unnecessary delay.
She informed the meeting that first batch of COVID-19 Vaccines, there would be a template/ document that all Health Workers must Fill/ Register before they are given the vaccine.
According to her, the first batch of the Vaccine would be prioritized for Health Care workers and Forces and further explained that the Vaccine would be given to some people in single dose while others would be administered in double doses that there should be strict compliance with electronic registration to guide people accordingly.
Dr Edu, who is also the Incident Manager, lauded Risk Communication Pillar and Nigeria Centre for Disease Control ( NCDC) for going round Schools in the State to ensure Covid-19 Protocols are strictly adhered to while also urging  them to link up with University of Calabar and UniCross Covid-19 team and also ensure logistics work with surveillance team to move the VTMs and other sample collection materials to the 18 Local Government Areas of the State.
In an update, the State Epidemiologist who is also Surveillance Pillar Lead, Pastor Inyang Ekpenyong disclosed that 4,699 suspected cases/ samples have been handled in the state, 347 cases have been confirmed, 216 discharged, 12 deaths recorded 19 Active cases and 924 have been Line listed.
She explained that, they have supported Nigerian Navy Referral Hospital (NNRH) to start Covid-19 testing, sensitised the public on the re- opening of Lab at Dr Lawrence Hospital and the new lab at Navy Hospital and has also commenced screening of visitors to Governor’s Office, amongst others.

By: Friday Nwagbara, Calabar