The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Benue State Government have commissioned a newly renovated molecular laboratory at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) in Makurdi. The laboratory was renovated with funds and technical assistance from the U.S. CDC via the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).
Equipped with state-of-the-art medical laboratory technology, the lab is now capable of conducting HIV viral load and early infant diagnosis testing, as well as molecular tests for other priority diseases such as tuberculosis, COVID-19, hepatitis, and HPV.
Acting Country Director of the U.S. CDC, Suzanne Theroux, commended the laboratory’s focus on quality management, stating that it has become a model lab for the rest of Nigeria. The high-quality data provided by the lab enhances integrated service delivery for patients at healthcare facilities and strengthens the state’s capacity to detect and respond to disease threats.
FMC Makurdi has become one of the top molecular labs in the PEPFAR-Global Fund-supported molecular lab network, testing over 200,000 patient samples annually.
This commissioning highlights the successful collaboration between the U.S. CDC and the Benue State Government in strengthening Nigeria’s healthcare infrastructure and capacity.
