The federal government says it does not have the capacity and wherewithal to carry out free COVID-19 tests for passengers arriving from foreign countries.
Sani Aliyu, national coordinator of the presidential task force (PTF) on COVID-19, disclosed this during a virtual town hall meeting on Saturday.
The event was organised by Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) chairman, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, for Nigerians coming into the country during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Passengers on international flights are expected to present negative COVID-19 test results prior to boarding; they are also required to pay for repeat tests on arrival in Nigeria.
He told those who participated at the webinar that public laboratories cannot conduct free COVID-19 testing as it is not sustainable by the federal government.
“It is not something that the government can afford. We will run out of test kits,” head of media, (NiDCOM), Abdur-Rahman Balogun, quoted Aliyu to have said.
“We appreciate the difficulties that people are going through. It will be sorted.”
For travellers who reside outside Lagos and Abuja, Aliyu said: “If there is no private laboratory in your state of final destination, the laboratory you have chosen for your test during registration will make arrangements to have your sample taken at a designated laboratory.”
“The PTF and NCDC are urgently working with all states to create a mechanism for private testing. We’ve already approached 6 or 7 states that have private labs in their states,” he stated.
The PTF national coordinator also said testing is not required for children below the age of 10 years and “if they have been subjected to payment, they will be refunded.”
He added that any passenger made to pay more than once must be refunded, adding that customer service teams have been stationed at the airports.
He explained that the PTF had come up with stringent procedures in order to limit the importation of COVID-19 to Nigeria, prevent transmission during the flight, and reduce the quarantine period.
Aliyu also added that over 27,000 passengers have entered into Nigeria since the opening of Lagos and Abuja international airports, despite the strict COVID-19 protocol.
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