Gov’t Striving to Expand Testing Capacity for COVID-19: PM Abiy

Addis Ababa June 8/2020(ENA) With the abrupt surge in the spread of coronavirus, the Government of Ethiopia pledged to expand testing centers in different parts of the country.

Addressing questions raised by members of the House of Peoples’ Representatives, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said the COVID-19 pandemic has become a socio-economic, social and political menace to the public.

Abiy noted that the government has taken various measures to contain the spread of the pandemic since the outbreak of the virus in the country on March 13, 2020.

He recalled that Ethiopia did not have the capacity to diagnose when the first coronavirus case reported in the country.

“At the beginning we have had a single laboratory that was vital to identify and diagnose the first suspect of the COVID-19, in the country,” Abiy evoked.

However, as the government has been intensifying its efforts over the past three months to expand the testing centers, now there are 31 testing laboratories in all Regional States and City Administrations with the capacity to test 8, 000 people per day, he said.

He further stated that seven testing laboratories will commence services at the end of this week, bringing the total testing laboratories to 38.

Additional 15 testing laboratories will also start services soon, which will help to expand the testing capacity to 14,000 in the July, it was indicated.

A total of 142, 960 tests have been conducted to date, he said, adding “But in terms of the population size we have, this number is very scanty.” 

According to the Abiy, currently the nation has the capacity to accommodate 45, 000 people in quarantine and put other 30, 000 people in isolation at a time.

There have been three zones which have governed responses to the coronavirus pandemic, including fear, learning and growth, the Prime Minister said adding that “we have chosen to take the growth or opportunity zone to learn and build our existing capacities.”

On other hand, he stated laboratory capacity has been established and over 400 million birr have been allocated to all regions and now there are 31 testing laboratories in all Regional States and City Administrations.

According to the Prime Minister, 54 medical centers have now been set up to accommodate 17,500 coronavirus patients.