Covid-19 Bamenda: Sero- Prevalence Survey Launched, But How Important Is It?
By Raymond Dingana
According to the Regional Delegate of
Public Health for the North West Region, Dr. Kingsley Che Soh, the importance
of the Covid-19 Sero-Prevalence Survey is that, it will not only reveal the
Prevalence of the disease but say whether after being infected, one can be re-infected
et al:
“The survey will first of all help us
know the situation of the disease in the region especially in our context.
Secondly, it will enable us know if persons who have been tested positive have
developed immunity to the disease because ,the survey is going to be measuring
the levels of anti bodies to Covid-19 to the subjects for whom the blood
samples will be collected. It is going to inform us whether we are immune to
the virus or whether after being infected, we can be re-infected,” Dr
Kingsley explained during the launching ceremony.
He furthered that, the survey will be carried
out in Bamenda and samples will be collected from an estimated number of one
thousand persons aged 5years and above from selected areas like the Bamenda food
market, Commercial Avenue, Total Nkwen and many others.
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| Regional Delegate of Public Health for the North West Region, Dr. Kingsley Che Soh At The Launching Ceremony. |
Questions were raised as to why blood samples will instead transported to Yaounde despite the fact that, the region has up to date laboratories. Responding to this worry, Edison Ajang, Logistician at the International Center for Aids Care and Treatment Programs, ICAP said, the expensive nature of the reagents that will be used made it so:
“The costly nature of the reagents like the Elisa made
it difficult for all the hospitals in the country to be equipped with it. They
will only used in laboratories in Yaounde particularly in the National Public Health
Lab and the Yaounde Central Hospital Blood Bank,” Ajang said, adding that, the CDC will also
want a situation whereby, it will be able to monitor and insure that, all is
going on well.
It was also revealed that, for the
past eight weeks as at Friday 23 October 2020, the NWR has not recorded a
Covid-19 related dead because of the continues sensitization, improvement in
the quality of treatment given to patients coupled with the decentralization of
the response because it was taken it
dawn to the districts among others.
The Secretary General at the NW
governor’s office, Mr. Viang Mekala called on the population to massively
participate in the survey. He also called on the Regional delegation of Public
Health to report to his office any attempts to disturb the smooth functioning
of the exercise along with others.
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Photo Credit: Laarry News Room.
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