By our reporter| The Lagos state government on Friday sealed off a private medical laboratory in Banana Island, Ikoyi for allegedly conducting COVID-19 tests without approval.
In a tweet on Saturday, the state’s ministry of health identified the medical facility as Acouns Medical Laboratory and Diagnostic Centre and explained the laboratory which was dituated in a pharmacy, was sealed off for violating COVID-19 guidelines.
The ministry warned residents to desist from patronising unaccredited facilities for COVID-19 tests and management as such an action poses danger to citizens’ health.
The tweet read, “Yesterday, the Lagos state ministry of health through Health Facility Monitoring and Accreditation Agency sealed a private laboratory located on Banana Island, Ikoyi for carrying out #COVID-19 tests without the required government approval.”
“The lab; Acouns Medical Laboratory and Diagnostic Centre was also situated in a pharmacy!
“Citizens are advised to desist from patronizing Health facilities not accredited by Lagos state government for testing or management of #COVID-19 cases as this poses danger to the community and staff of such facilities.
“It is illegal to manage COVID19 cases outside of an accredited facility. As a public, we implore you not to go for test or treatment in a private facility that has not been accredited by government. It is dangerous and you might certainly put you at risk.
“Lagos state ministry of health will continue to do its best to ensure that health facilities in the State adhere strictly to standards to guarantee the health and wellbeing of Lagosians.
“Members of the public are encouraged to cooperate fully with Lagos state government to ensure the safety and health of all even as we strive to contain the spread of the pandemic.”
Lagos state which is the epicentre of coronavirus pandemic in Nigeria, curremtly has 12,051 cases of COVID-19, according to the Nigeria Centre for Disease and Control (NCDC).
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