Abia state assistant epidemiologist, Mr Charles Ibeleme says the state primary healthcare development agency with its partners have rolled out the Covid-19 Rapid Diagnostic Testing, RDT to identify, and commence treatment in order to curb the spread of Covid-19 in the state.
Mr Ibeleme disclosed this while speaking on “Antigen Testing Strategy” during the sensitization of media personnel on the roll out of covid-19 antigen/RDT, hosted by
Abia Public Health Emergency Operations Center situated in Abia State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, ABSPHCDA, Premises with support from WHO.
Abia Public Health Emergency Operations Center situated in Abia State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, ABSPHCDA, Premises with support from WHO.
Mr Charles
According to Ibeleme, WHO sometime in September, 2021 introduced the antigen testing method to ease stress people encounter waiting for covid 19 testing results which involved waiting for days and weeks in some cases before the result will come out.
He encouraged people to visit their LGA disease surveillance notification officers to partake in the test and possibly, take the vaccine, that is free and safe.
The Abia state assistant epidemologist said the test kits were approved because they met basic standard by WHO, stressed that the RDT test makes field workers to be specific rather than sensitive and gives valid results with (COVID-19 Rapid Test Device). He further revealed that Abia State has vaccinated at least 121, 000 (one hundred and twenty one thousand people).
Earlier, the Abia state epidemiologist, lady Peace Nwaogwugwu said the sensitization on Engagement and orientation of media officers in Abia state was designed to inform the general public the appropriate use and rollout of approved Antigen-based RDTs in Abia state.
Mrs Nwaogwugwu
She said the RDT will help strengthen efforts made so far to eliminate the disease in the society.
On their part, the state officer of WHO, Dr Linus Okoro, represented by Mrs Chigbo Ogechukwu who spoke on basic facts on COVID-19, stated the training was put together to help media partners and participants understand more the havoc COVID-19 has presented before every body.
She listed major symptoms of COVID-19 to include fever, dry cough, tiredness, sore throat, diarrhea among others, while the viruses can be released through talking, coughing and sneezing. The WHO officer described the vaccination as a soldier that protects the body and advised people to get vaccinated to stay safe from this deadly virus.
Mrs Ogechukwu
Mrs Chigbo Ogechukwu while speaking on Abia State Health Emergency Situational Update said Abia has recorded twenty three thousand, seven hundred {23, 700} suspected cases from inception and collected samples of twenty three thousand, {23, 690} persons and confirmed 2,029 cases as at last week {week 45} and recorded 30 deaths, managed and discharged 1,090 cases, while out of 30 deaths, five of them were health workers. According to her, so many of the cases are not reported, stressing that COVID-19 is read and encouraged people to embrace the RDT.
She added that Abia has recorded covid 19 cases in all the 17 LGAs with Umuahia North recording the highest number of 815 cases, while Ugwunagbo have recorded only 7 cases. In last September, 2021, Mrs Chigbo disclosed that Abia recorded over one hundred cases of covid-19, lamenting that there are so many cases they are not identifying, thus, people should comply and ascertain their status.
However, on Antigen Rapid Diagnostic Testing, RDT the state disease surveillance officer, Mr Stanley Ajamgbulogu said surveillance is system of gathering information, identification of cases for policy making.
Mr Stanley
Mr Ajamgbulogu pointed out that the contact tracing helps to bridge the spread of the disease and ensure those cases and virus sharing are put to stop. According to him, the primary healthcare development agency also monitor the affected patients traced with the virus.
The resource persons said Abia State has taken delivery of 20,000 rapid diagnostic testing, RDT kits and had trained people in private and public facilities.
Meanwhile, the state assistant epidemiologist, Mr Charles Ibeleme displayed a practical use of the RDT kit with the public relations officer, Abia State National Orientation Agency, NOA, Mr Goddy Onwuchekwa.
