The Anambra Commisioner for Health, Dr Vincent Okpala, said on Thursday, February 25, 2021, that the government through its Ministry of Health had introduced more aggressive measures toward reducing the COVID -19 spread in the state.
Okpala told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Awka that the ministry had called on the public to go for voluntary testing.
He stated that the ministry had created more innovative ways to halt the spread of the virus in the state, and curtail its spread across the country.
Okpala noted that the ministry had adopted new measures like COVID-19 testing Mobile Team that visits churches in the state and offer counselling on the need to go for voluntary testing.
According to him, the Drive-through COVID-19 testing is another measure where public samples will be collected while the residents are going about their normal businesses.
The commissioner said that a mobile truck with medical officers would drive through the streets to collect samples from the people voluntarily.
He noted that the Drive-through COVID-19 testing measure would be established in the three senatorial districts in the state as part of the strategies to ensure that people are tested.
According to the commissioner, people must know their status; it makes the treatment of the virus easier as early treatments will increase the people’s chances of beating the virus tremendously.
Okpala said that COVID-19 testing and treatment are free in Anambra, adding that the public should take advantage of the government’s support.
The commissioner said that the ministry had recorded a high rate of compliance from some parishioners in churches visited in the state by allowing COVID-19 tests to be administered to them.
Okpala stated that the ministry had received commendation on the new measures of COVID-19 testing services extended to churches, adding that more free measures would be rolled out.
“We know that people may wish to be tested under the new measures because they are very convenient and also help to demystify the myths around the virus,” he said.
The commissioner urged the public to support the state government’s efforts in minimising the spread of the virus, by making themselves available for the free COVID-19 tests.
“We all need to work together to control the spread of the virus, it is not a death sentence if detected on time.”