By Hassan Zaggi
The Kaduna State Governor, Nasir el-Rufai, has applauded KNCV Foundation Nigeria and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), for boosting COVID-19 screening in the state through the use of GeneXpert machine.
The GeneXpert is a technology that operationalizes in a mobile truck known as Wellness on Wheel (WoW). It can be moved to communities to improve testing of both Tuberculosis and COVID-19
The Kaduna State government got the GeneXpert machine with the support of USAID and the KNCV TB Foundation, Nigeria.
Speaking while unveiling the GeneXpert machine for the testing of COVID-19 in Kaduna yesterday, Governor el-Rufai said: “We are very grateful to the KNCV Foundation and the USAID for deploying this machine to Kaduna State.
“We are also looking at the possibility of getting similar vehicle so that we can have them in all the local government areas.”
According to the governor: “The GeneXpert machine that can be used to test a variety of diseases was brought by the USAID for TB, but with the outbreak of COVID-19, approval has been granted to also use it to test Corona virus and it has been in our state for sometimes now. They have tested over 200 samples and many have been found positive.
“The vehicle is being used in communities where they have no contact traced and check whether there is COVID-19 infection and the result has been a little scary- 15 per cent rate of infection in the communities where they have tested.
On his part, while responding to questions from journalists, the Executive Director of KNCV TB Foundation, Nigeria, Dr. Bethrand Odume, explained that the WoW truck is built with a Gene Xpert machine and an X-ray.
According to him, “the good thing is that you can equally use the Gene Xpert to test for COVID and since we are already working in TB programme, this is actually an intersection between COVID and TB.
“Since Kaduna is one of our states, we decided to support the state government.
“It may surprise you to know that this is the first rapid test using Gene Xpert in the country. After South Africa, Kaduna is the second in Africa.
“For us to increase the test for COVID-19, what we need is rapid diagnostic platform. These are platforms that one can maximize to improve access to COVID-19 testing and we have it in the WoW truck.
“The good thing with the WoW is that, it is a mobile van, it can go to places and into the community and ensure contact tracing.
“For the past five days we have been in Kaduna, it has been a very good success.”
“We commend the Kaduna State Government because we told them we needed cartridges for the testing and they have already procured 10,000 of these cartridges.
Working with the National TB programme, we try to come up with tools to ensure that there will be an integrated TB and COVID testing. Anybody passing through this WoW truck or any other Gene Xpert platform will screen for both TB and COVID.”
He further explained that: “We are not only here to use the WoW for community testing, we are here to help build the capacity of the state team to ensure we improve access to bring on board other Gene Xpert platforms to improve access.
“One thing about Corona as we all know, there is no proven cure, the only way we can contain the pandemic is by ensuring early detection and isolation of positive cases and you can only do that when you expand access to testing.
“In-country now, we are yet to hit 50,000 test, but with this WoW truck alone, our target is about 100 in a day and if you are able to bring on board other Gene Xpert platforms, you could imagine where Kaduna state will be.”
Dr. Odume argued that the only way the COVID-19 pandemic can be contained is by looking out for people who are infected, testing then and confirming the cases and ensure immediate isolation.
“We are happy with the Kaduna State government. We are here from Abuja with our team. We have been here so that we can showcase what Kaduna state is doing so that other state governments can learn.
It is not all about talk but action.
“We moved to get the cartridges and before we know it the Kaduna state government had approach us and had made procurement directly from the manufacturer working with our international partners.”
Responding to a question on the cost of each cartridge, the KNCV Executive Director said: “One cartridge costs about 19.8 dollars. It takes about 15 minutes to prepare a sample and in 45 minutes you have your result and with the WoW truck you can move into the community, people line up, do their screening and get their results there and then. Our team here is working with the COVID response team.”
