The University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, UPTH, has commenced testing for COVID-19 in Rivers State.
This came after the Federal Government opened the testing and treatment centre in UPTH, Wednesday.
Speaking, Prof. Henry Ugboma, the Chief Medical Director of UPTH, stated that two Polymerase Chain Reaction, PCR, machine used for testing COVID 19 are in the facility ready, thanking the FG in collaboration with Shell SPDC for supporting the hospital with the medical equipment.
Ugboma said: “As I talk to you now testing has commenced in the facility. We are ready to collaborate with the state if we have an over spill to move the patients over there.
“What we have here today is not a new thing to the teaching hospital. The minister has asked that every teaching hospital should have an isolation and treatment centre. Today, we want to commission the second isolation and treatment centre in the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital.
“The first isolation centre is where the infectious diseases department of this hospital uses to manage cases of Lassa Fever and Ebola.
Ugboma stated that the medical outfit seeks to collaborate with the state government to contain an eventual community outbreak of COVID 19 in the state.
