Professor Abayomi made this known while launching the Lagos State Private-Public Consortium on the management of COVID-19 to increase the capacity of the state government in the management of the pandemic.

He said " though the tests were being conducted in government owned laboratories free, the approved private laboratories will conduct COVID-19 tests in the state at a cost of between N40,000 and N50,400.

With this development most residents, particularly those with suspected symptoms are apprehensive that they might not get adequate attention from the public hospitals or other facilities, where they usually undergo the screening free of charge on the excuse that the testing kits are inadequate."

The state Commissioner for Health, Professor Abayomi said the inclusion of the private consortium in the testing was part of the moves to expand the state government’s COVID-19 response capacity.

It will be recalled that the most populous state/city in the country is still the epicentre of the virus in the country with over 50% of the total confirmed cases recorded in Lagos state.