“The ZRLs will bring services closer to states, facilitate sample transportation, reduce turnaround time for testing and release of results, and contribute to resilience in emergency and preparedness efforts at the subnational level.”
Adetifa also said the newly inaugurated Ekiti ZRL would strengthen diagnosis and surveillance of infectious diseases, with particular focus on the six states in the South-West, namely Ekiti, Ondo, Oyo, Osun, Lagos and Ogun and the whole of southern Nigeria. He further said that the laboratory is equipped to diagnose priority diseases as part of the Centre’s Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response system.
“The laboratory will be the primary hub for timely and accurate diagnosis of epidemic and epidemic-prone diseases constituting public health threats in the South-west,” he said. The NCDC boss said the centre had successfully designated and commenced the establishment of more Zonal Reference Laboratories across the six geopolitical zones, which were at various stages of completion.All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from PUNCH.