COVID-19: Suspected patients, Bayelsa Govt lament delays in confirming status of samples

Patients suspected to be infected by Coronavirus in Bayelsa have bemoaned the delays in getting results from the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) laboratories in Benin and Port Harcourt.

Investigations indicate that worst affected are medical personnel with contact with confirmed cases who went into self isolation for two weeks and the test results are still being awaited.

A medical practitioner, who spoke on the development said that the delays had caused some stress on medical manpower at the Federal Medical Centre, Yenagoa and the Niger Delta University Teaching Hospital Okolobiri, Bayelsa.

The doctor, who spoke with NAN and wished to remain anonymous, said more than 10 of them who had completed the two weeks isolation cannot go back to work until the results are out.

 “As it stands, a lot of us who have been involved with managing patients who are confirmed COVID-19 positive according to the protocols will go into self-isolation for two weeks.

“After the period, we cannot still have results of our samples sent for tests at Irua Specialist Hospital in Benin and University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital; we do not know what is causing the delays.

“There are speculations that the COVID-19 Response is having funding constraints as some of the officials have said when we called them to tell them that the delay is making it difficult as we cannot return without being certified fit,” the source said.

 Dr Johnbull Jumbo, Chairman of Medical Advisory Committee, NDUTH, the leading COVID-19 management centre in Bayelsa also said during the inauguration of additional isolation facility last week that there are so many suspected COVID-19 cases awaiting results of tests by the NCDC.

However, in a reaction, Dr Nathaniel Apoku, Co-Chairman of Bayelsa COVID-19 Task Force acknowledged the delays and explained that it was due to scarcity of reagents at the NCDC laboratories in Benin and Port Harcourt.

He said that the state had, in the last two weeks, had over 300 pending samples of suspected COVID-19 cases at laboratories.

He said that the laboratories were having issues with reagents and supplies, hence the delay in returning the results.

“Yesterday, we received results from 76 samples; 54 returned positive for COVID-19. This brings the total number of confirmed cases to 86 in the state. We are expecting more test results from today as well.

“Eleven of these positive cases are contacts of previously confirmed cases; eight are healthcare professionals,” Apoku said

He dismissed speculations that the delays was caused by the Task Force and said that the COVID-19 team chaired by Gov Douye Diri was working hard to establish a world class molecular laboratory to carry out the tests in the state.

“We are leaving no stone unturned to ensure that we have our own molecular laboratory in the state, following the donation of a new RT-PCR machine by Shell joint venture partners to the state,” Apoku said.