• Test kits manufacturing to start as of September
ADDIS ABABA – Community-level coronavirus awareness-raising and testing campaign is expected to begin today to flatten the COVID-19 pandemic curve.
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed announced yesterday that his government has been working to increase the testing capacity at a national level by three or four folds describing that the total testing conducted over the last months is insignificant as compared to the population size of the country.
The announcement came on the heels of a sharp increase of the pandemic that exceeded the previous one percentage. The premier said rioters were emotionally taken to the streets without adequate protections following the death of Hachalu Hundessa that could be among the factors for the sharp rise in the rate of the infection.
The country can undertake more than a million tests using the test kits available, he stated, adding that lab capacity has surged by manyfold while the production of sanitary materials and facemasks has been made possible at home.
He further emphasized that efforts are being made to stem the COVID-19 potential second wave as the country has learned from past pandemics.
Indicating that the preventive measures that have been taking place resulted in the reduction of the catastrophic effects of COVID-19 in Ethiopia, he has called on the citizenry to avoid complacence over the achievements secured thus far.
He urged the public to avoid mass gatherings referring to the past riots which have been said responsible to the current rise of the pandemic infection rate.
He said the campaign would come to success as the government has built the national lab capacity, in addition to the vast experience that health professionals gathered over the last months in screening and testing COVID-19.
The Premier also indicated as preparations have been finalized to manufacture personal protective kits at home by the next September.
The campaign lasts for a month and around 200,000 citizens will be tested in two weeks while the finding of the testing serves as a springboard for the next Ethiopian year’s activities, it was learnt.
The Ethiopian Herald August 2/2020
BY HAFTU GEBREZGABIHER
