The federal executive council (FEC) has approved N8.49 billion for the procurement of COVID-19 test kits.
Speaking after the meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday, Osagie Ehanire, minister of health, said he presented a memo to the council on behalf of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).
He said the diagnostic materials to be procured will help the country respond properly to community transmission.
“The Minister of Health presented a memo on behalf of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control to procure materials for preparation for the COVID-19 pandemic, which is ravaging every part of the world including our country,” he said.
“This is part of the preparedness for community transmission which is going on now and has affected over 586 Local Government Areas and we need the materials so as to be able to expand our testing and diagnostic capabilities.
“This memo is as a result of the Presidential task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 and the Special Intervention Funds managed by the PTF, which allocated these resources for the NCDC preparedness.
“We are procuring these materials to be able to respond properly to community transmission phase.
“This is to ensure that persons in rural areas are not excluded and to ensure that not only the big cities or towns are attended to.”
Nigeria has a total number of 46,290 confirmed COVID-19 cases so far.