In continuation of its effort to support Government at both the national and state levels in the fight against the deadly COVID-19, Africa’s leading integrated digital payment and commerce company, Interswitch Group, has donated 1,500 units of rapid diagnostic test kits to the Enugu State Government. This was facilitated by employee-led voluntary contributions and a supplementary fund provided by the company and its directors.
According to the company, the donation to the Enugu State Government is part of the company’s on-going support for the numerous local intervention efforts between State Governments and the National Center for Disease Control (NCDC), in the fight against the Coronavirus pandemic. Mitchell Elegbe, Founder/ Group Managing Director at Interswitch, stated that, “As the Coronavirus continues to ravage across the globe with increasing numbers of confirmed cases, it has become non-negotiable and imperative to ramp up the testing capacity in Nigeria”. He restated Interswitch’s commitment to continue to support government in combating the deadly disease.
Lolo Cecelia Ezeilo, Deputy Governor of Enugu State, who was visibly elated by the donation, commended the Interswitch Group for the kind gesture, noting that the donation of test kits will ensure early testing of suspected cases and accurate diagnosis of COVID-19. She also implored Interswitch to commence the deployment its COVID-19 pathway platform, which is designed to help citizens determine their pre-disposition to the virus.
The Interswitch pathway platform is a user-friendly, locally nuanced, software application for the assessment of risk and pre-disposition to the novel coronavirus infection. The software was developed by Interswitch’s health-tech subsidiary, eClat Healthcare. The platform analyses users’ information provided from answers to series of questions around risk factors, recent exposure, observed symptoms, health and travel history, and uses the information to determine who needs to get tested for the virus.
Similarly, Mrs Adaonah Kene-Uyanwune, Commissioner of Finance, Enugu State stated that the donation by the Interswitch Group will aid in the fight against the deadly virus. She also urged other corporate organizations and good-spirited individuals to support the government in the fight against the coronavirus.
Interswitch Group had in earlier concerted efforts donated medical equipment, deployed its pathway platform and paid health workers allowances in Ogun state. In Oyo State, the company donated 2,500 units of Rapid Diagnostic test kits and deployed its pathway platform through a combination of Interactive Voice response (IVR) and Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) codes.
Apart from the donations to the State Governments mentioned above, the company also supported in the setting up of the Eti-Osa Isolation centre in Lagos State, donated tropicalized ultra-low temperature (ULT) laboratory refrigerators for the storage of reagents and other laboratory consumables to the Delta State Government.
The company also confirms its commitment to supporting more state governments across the country in the coming weeks.
