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In an expanded pool of expertise, the World Health Organization (WHO) is supporting several African countries to coordinate the work of external emergency medical teams deployed to support the efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19 pandemic.

From “COVID-19 does not exist”, to COVID is not going to survive in Kano, to COVID is finished as soon as it gets here, Kano state residents got so comfortable and rebuffed Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC) guidelines on COVID-19.

The World Health Organization (WHO) welcomes innovations around the world including repurposing drugs, traditional medicines and developing new therapies in the search for potential treatments for COVID-19.

Thirty-five-year old Salihu Umar was diagnosed with COVID-19 after returning from a six-day trip to London in March 2020. Although asymptomatic, he tested positive and underwent treatment. Having recovered and back with his family in the Nigerian capital Abuja, the father of three stresses the importance of getting tested especially after having travelled to an area affected by the virus.

When COVID-19 emerged as a global health threat, African countries were quick to enact public health measures to slow the spread of the virus. Now as some countries begin to ease lockdowns, it is important to maintain strong surveillance, case finding and testing among other control measures to halt the pandemic.

What does it take Africa’s most populous country to curb the spread of COVID-19? When Nigeria reported its first case of the virus on 27 February 2020 it had only five laboratories in four states able to test for COVID-19. As infection spreads to more states the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) is ramping up testing capacity. There are now 17 laboratories and plans are afoot to set up one each in all the 36 states. Widespread testing sits at the heart of Nigeria’s COVID-19 battle.