By Chioma Obinna

Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, yesterday, said the COVID-19 tests in all approved testing centres in Lagos State are free of charge.

Reacting to alleged reports of patients paying N30,000 for COVID-19 tests at the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, approved centres in Lagos; Abayomi said no designated testing centre in the state was allowed to collect money for tests.

He said: “I want to state unequivocally that there is no designated COVID-19 testing centre in Lagos that collects, or is allowed to collect money for COVID-19 tests. Tests at the designated testing centres are free of charge.”

READ ALSO: Govs to set up infection prevention, control committees in states

Abayomi urged Lagosians to wary of misleading reports targeted at discrediting frontline health workers who are working extremely hard to ensure that COVID-19 is contained.

He said: “I want to assure the public that activities at the Infectious Disease Hospital, Yaba and other approved centres for COVID-19 screening are effectively monitored in accordance with the strict guidelines of the Lagos State COVID-19 Response under which no fees are collected for the tests.”

Vanguard