Plateau lawmaker tasks citizens on COVID-19 protocols, testing

Mr Nanbol Daniel (PDP-Langtang North Central) and Chairman, Plateau House of Assembly Committee on Health has tasked citizens of the state to observe COVID-19 safety protocols to curb the spread of the virus.

Daniel, in an interview with newsmen on Friday in Jos, urged the people to avail themselves to be tested in order to know their status.

The chairman said that “COVID-19 is real and that the second wave which is deadlier than the first is spreading fast among the people.’’

According to the lawmaker, the rise in the number of cases is because people are not observing the safety protocols.

“When we don’t observe protocols, the transmission of the virus will be on the rise.

“Observing protocols like keeping social distance, washing of hands regularly and wearing nose masks will reduce drastically the rate of transmission,’’ he said.

He commended those who had volunteered themselves to be tested saying that being tested was the sure way to know one’s status and be treated.

Daniel who is a member of Plateau Taskforce on COVID-19, said that many people had died of the disease because they were not tested and the records were not taken.

He, however, expressed concern over the turnaround time of the test result describing it as very poor.

“We have National Veterinary Research Institute (NVRI), Vom, Plateau Specialist Hospital and Jos University Teaching Hospital as testing centres on the Plateau.

“These testing centres are grossly inadequate. When people volunteer for testing, coupled with the fact that some consumables are sometimes out of stock, it makes the turnaround time to be poor.

“We are calling on government to decentralise testing. There should be testing centres in all the 17 local government areas of the state.

“I know that the equipment for the testing are very expensive but since people are volunteering and coming out for testing, delay of results will discourage them,’’ he said.