About a month after the Ekiti State government set up a geographic information system-based COVID-19 response hub to manage data on the pandemic, the state government has established a mobile molecular laboratory to ramp up testing for COVID-19.
The state partnered with 54gene — a company set up to provide genomic data for Africa – to set up the laboratory at the Ekiti State Teaching Hospital (EKSUTH).
The COVID-19 mobile laboratory is equipped with testing instruments and biosafety materials including an autoclave, biosafety cabinet, centrifuge, heating blocks, vortexes, pipettes, and PCR machines to support COVID-19 testing, the government said.
A statement by the Ekiti State government disclosed that 54gene would provide the state with operational support and staffing by providing molecular scientists with the necessary skill set required to handle the instruments in the mobile laboratory.
“With the installation and commissioning of the laboratory, Ekiti State now has testing capacity of up to 400 tests daily and will be conducting tests across all 16 local government areas to facilitate early detection of the coronavirus and ensure timely and adequate treatment of any infected person,” Governor Fayemi said.
The governor said the laboratory would remain in Ekiti to boost the state’s molecular testing capabilities and be used by medical researchers after COVID-19.
54gene mobile laboratory for testing COVID-19 is accredited by the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), and it is used in other states including Lagos, Kano, and Ogun.
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