The Oyo State Emergency Operation Centre (EOC) for COVID-19 has released the schedule for the community-based testing drive in Ibadan, the state capital.

A statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Seyi Makinde, Mr. Taiwo Adisa, indicated that the EOC released a schedule showing activation dates for samples’ collection sites.

According to the schedule, three samples’ collection sites will be activated on Wednesday, June 3, 2020, in Oluyole, Lagelu and Ibadan South-East Local Government Areas, LGAs.

The samples’ collection sites to be activated on Wednesday are Olomi Primary School, beside Adaramagbo Primary Health Centre, Alegongo Community Primary School and Agbogbon CHC.

Activation of samples’ collection sites will continue at Adeoyo Maternity, in Ibadan North Local Government, and Jericho Specialist Hospital, Ibadan South-West, on Friday, June 5, 2020, while the exercise will continue at State Hospital, Oyo, in Oyo East Local Government; General Hospital, Okaka, in Itesiwaju Local Government, and General Hospital, Arowomole, in Ogbomoso South Local Government, on Monday, June 8, 2020.

The samples’ collection sites in Ibarapa North Local Government and Saki West Local Government will be activated at the General Hospital, Ayete, and State Hospital, Sakirespectively, on Wednesday, June 10, 2020.

According to the statement, the community-based testing approach is in line with the commitment of the Oyo State COVID-19 Task Force, headed by the governor, to ramp up testing for COVID-19 in the state.

The state had been able to increase capacity for testing with the setting up of the Diagnostic Centre at the Virology Department, University College Hospital, Ibadan, and the Drive-Through/Walk-Through Testing, organised at the Lekan Salami Stadium, Adamasingba, Ibadan, in collaboration with a Non-Governmental Organisation.

The community-based testing, which is expected to take place across 10 LGAs, will increase the state’s testing capacity, which Governor Makinde, during a broadcast in commemoration of his administration’s one year in office, noted, remained among the highest in the country.