Nigeria needs more test kits as it expands COVID-19 test

Director-general of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Chikwe Ihekweazu has said there is a desperate need for more ribonucleic acid (RNA) kits for COVID-19 test.

RNA is a critical component to identify and test for availability of a disease. It major role is to act as a messenger carrying instructions from DNA for controlling the synthesis of proteins, although in some viruses. The kits are used for extractions.

On Sunday, Ihekweazu gave specification of the products needed. He said that via Twitter.

“We’re desperately looking for more RNA extraction kits as we expand #COVID19testing. Product: Total viral RNA extraction kits (preferably spin column and with a lysis buffer). Manufacturers: Qiagen, ThermoFischer, SeeGene, Inqaba, LifeRiver etc,” he tweeted.

We’re desperately looking for more RNA extraction kits as we expand #COVID19 testing

Product: Total viral RNA extraction kits (preferably spin column and with a lysis buffer)

Manufacturers: Qiagen, ThermoFischer, SeeGene, Inqaba, LifeRiver etc.

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📧: ncdclabnetwork@ncdc.gov.ng

— Chikwe Ihekweazu (@Chikwe_I) April 26, 2020

Nigeria is behind other African countries in conducting COVID-19 test, however in the past weeks, the number of tests have risen.

On Saturday, the country had conducted 10,918 tests out of which 1,182 have been confirmed positive for the deadly pandemic.

Last week while responding to a question on the low number of tests in the conducted in the country, Ihekweazu had said: “We have a very good strategy around testing. Yes, the numbers are always being thrown at us, Ghana, South Africa, but we are not playing a numbers game.”

The NCDC boss also said: “I think there would be a change in the numbers. But to be honest, we are not playing a number game with testing. We have a strategy and we will stick to that strategy and make sure we deliberately increase the number of tests while testing the right people at the right time.”