The Central Bank Governor, Godwin Emefiele, has said that the contributions by the private sector Coalition Against COVID-19 have led to the provision of about 4,000 isolation beds in the country.

He said this during the unveiling of Thisday Dome testing, tracing and treatment centre in Abuja on Tuesday.

Emefiele said, “The THISDAY Dome testing, tracing and treatment centre being launched today represents a part of the support being provided by the CA-COVID alliance.

“These measures will result in the addition of close to 4,000 hospital beds across the country and will serve as a significant boost towards our efforts at containing the spread of COVID-19. So, CACOVID has equipped and handed over isolation centres in Rivers, Enugu, Kwara, Ondo and Borno states.

“It is expected that all other isolation centres will be handed over in other states of the country by May 23, 2020.”

To complement the efforts of the government in providing palliatives to those affected by the pandemic, the CBN governor said CA-COVID was also providing some assistance in the form of food items to indigent Nigerians across the 36 states of the federation.

Emefiele said to encourage greater research and development of drugs and vaccines that would help prevent the spread of the virus in Nigeria, the CBN was developing a framework under which grants and long-term facilities would be provided to researchers, science institutions and biotechnology firms.

He said, “Needless to state that if we are to wait for foreign countries to develop their own vaccines, we will be the last in the queue to receive curative remedies for our teeming population.

“The Central Bank of Nigeria today challenges Nigerian scientists at home and in the Diaspora to go back to their laboratories and develop a Nigerian vaccine.

“Once validated by the health authorities, the CBN will step in and do the needful for the sake of over 200 million Nigerians now confronted by COVID-19.”