The Acting Director General/CEO of the The Sheda Science and Technology Complex (SHESTCO), Prof. Paul Onyenekwe, said his agency has well-equipped laboratories to test the Covid-19 virus.
Prof. Oyenekwe in a statement released by the Director Press Affairs, FMST, Otuyemi Adetayo, disclosed this in his presentation at the meeting of the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology and the Federal Ministry of Health on Covid-19 pandemic at the weekend in Abuja.
On the efforts of the agency to challenge the Covid-19 pandemic, Prof. Oyenekwe said the development of aptamer-based test kits could detect the virus in less than 30 minutes with accurate results.
He also highlighted the collaboration of SHETSCO with foreign scientist to extract anti-gens to fight the virus and may lead to a possible cure in the near future.
The production of useful Personal Protection Equipment’s like face masks and goggles, he added could be printed using 3D printing technology which is available in the agency.
He further said that the test kits could be locally produced by nano-particles which are available in Nigeria, adding that SHETSCO is also collaborating with international organizations to improve the capacity and effectiveness of the testing kits.
The testing kits, he added would be made available to the public, after it has been approved by the NCDC (Nigerian Center for Disease Control) and International Drug Agency.
