Fake Ebola test kit cassettes flood Lagos market

From Suleiman Idris, Lagos Producers of counterfeit movies from the popular Alaba international market in Ojo area of Lagos state are currently smiling to the bank as their latest ingenuity an “Ebola Cassette Test Kit” is currently causing ripples in Lagos and beyond even as government at various levels continues sensitisation campaign on the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD). When our correspondent visit the busy market yesterday, the cassette, already mass produce by dealers were secretly being packaged to be ship out to different parts of Nigeria and the West Africa countries where the deadly disease is believe to be rampant. The Lagos state government, on Tuesday, alerted the public to the presence of such fake material purportedly produced by what it called ‘unscrupulous people’ marketing the material and warned that they did not exist anywhere in the world. Paper covers of CDs and cassette bearing “Rapid Response Canada, result in 10 minutes” litters the section described as famous for counterfeiting artistes and writers original works while dealers secretly wrapped the goods to be send to other places. Ifeanyi, who chose not to disclose his surname, told our correspondent producers felt it wise to give Nigerians something to guide them in the fight against Ebola, hence the 10 minutes documentary. He said, “Our market is known for ingenuity; the makers of the materials believes coming out with such thing will help in the sensitisation efforts of government, l have not listen of watch the stuff, but if it is true, well, Nigerians should decide for themselves”. Some Lagos residents told People’s Daily they are yet to see the materials but advised the state government to further intensify its campaign efforts in order to totally eradicate the EVD in the country. In a statement, signed by the Special Adviser on Media to Governor Babatunde Fashola, Mr Hakeem Bello, on Tuesday, he said the fake items which are branded as “Rapid Response Canada with test results purportedly available in 10 minutes” is a hoax. It said there are no Ebola test kits manufactured anywhere in the world and that the technique for its manufacture does not exist yet, adding that members of the public should not to patronize the dubious marketers of the product.