From Beatrice GONDYI, Bauchi

Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State has commissioned a molecular laboratory equipped by the North-East Development Commission (NEDC), with supervision from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).

Governor Mohammed while commissioning on Monday at the state’s Specialist Hospital, said that the centre was established in order to speed up the sample testing for infectious diseases. He also assured that the centre will be effectively utilized for the control of infectious diseases in the state.

He further assured that his administration is committed to improving health care service delivery in the state, stressing that without quality health, no development can thrive in society.

“The establishment of the centre became necessary following the difficulties faced by officials of the state in tackling the COVID-19 pandemic, considering that samples had to be taken to Abuja and later Jos for testing, a development that was too cumbersome.

“I am happy for this groundbreaking ceremony in the state because our efforts as a government have paid off. The NCDC was approached for permission while the NEDC took the responsibility of equipping the Centre and the state provided the structure.

“With the establishment of the Centre and commencement of operations, the issue of sample testing for COVID-19 infection will be laid to rest.

“At this juncture, I want to commend the committee for doing a good job”, Bala said.

The Chairman of the centre implementation committee, Dr Ladan Salihu, in his remarks commended the Governor for ensuring that the establishment of the centre became a reality through his support and timely release of the required funding.

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