…Influx of foreign passengers would mount pressures on testing and tracing of COVID-19
The Director-General, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Chikwe Ihekweazu has said there may be a collaboration between the state governments and private companies to upgrade the testing and tracing of coronavirus infections, as international flights recommence operations August 29.
Ihekweazu disclosed that there are consultations looking into partnerships for public and private collective efforts to contain the pandemic in the area of testing and tracing.
It has been the functions of state governments all the while but NCDC boss revealed there is probability of alliance as pressures are likely to mount on the current infections of 50,488 due to influx of travellers.
“Private-public models are being looked at. Lagos and Abuja are the primary locations, and from that we’ll learn what to do for the other three international airports,” Ihekweazu told Reuters.
He also noted that arrivals may ask to pay for their tests, with the expectations that Lagos and Abuja are commercial centres to be mostly affected.
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Other airports including Kano, Port Harcourt and Enugu to reopen after them.
Local flights resumed operations in July and subsequent reopening is part of measures to reduce the adverse effects of the pandemic as the country has recorded 985 fatalities.
