Nigeria considers using private firms for coronavirus tests after foreign flights resume

By Alexis Akwagyiram
LAGOS, Aug 20 (Reuters) - Nigeria is considering
partnerships between state governments and private firms to ramp
up testing and tracing of coronavirus cases after international
flights resume this month, the head of the Nigeria Centre for
Disease Control (NCDC) said.
Nigeria will reopen its airports for international flights
from Aug. 29. They have been closed since March 23 to all but
essential overseas flights to help combat the COVID-19 pandemic
in Africa's most populous country. State governments are responsible for testing and tracing
but the influx of travellers will increase the pressure on
already stretched authorities in Nigeria, which has had 50,488
cases resulting in 985 deaths.
Lagos, Nigeria's largest state and epicentre of its
outbreak, has 200 tracers for a population of 25 million - fewer
than one per 100,000 people, compared with around 14 per 100,000
in Turkey for example.
NCDC Director General Chikwe Ihekweazu said talks had been
held with private companies over possible partnerships on
testing and tracing in some states.
"Private-public models are being looked at. Lagos and Abuja
are the primary locations, and from that we'll learn what to do
for the other three international airports," Ihekweazu told
Reuters in a telephone interview. He did not disclose the
companies involved.
He said arrivals may be expected to contribute financially
towards their tests since they made a decision to travel.
International airports will reopen first in commercial hub
Lagos and the capital Abuja, which have had the most cases, and
later in the cities of Kano, Port Harcourt and Enugu.
Domestic aviation resumed last month and the further
reopening is part of efforts by authorities to reduce the
pandemic's impact on Africa's biggest economy.