The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has activated a shortcode – 6232 for reaching the NCDC.

Chikwe Ihekweazu, the Director-General, made this known in a statement on Thursday.

He said the number was introduced as a means for the public to contact NCDC’s Connect Centre and access verified information on COVID-19 and other infectious diseases.

“The shortcode is a toll-free and easy-to-remember number, which means that all calls to NCDC through “6232” are free of charge”, he noted.

Ihekweazu recalled that in 2016, NCDC established its Connect Centre as a critical aspect of its event-based surveillance and risk communications strategy.

“Over the years, this has been used for the response to infectious disease outbreaks such as Lassa fever, monkeypox, yellow fever, cerebrospinal meningitis etc.”

The DG disclosed that between March and December 2020, the NCDC Connect Centre received over 580,000 COVID-19 related phone calls.

He added that the new shortcode will be used alongside the existing tollfree number – 0800 9700 0010 – which would gradually phase-out.

NCDC reminded Nigerians to always adhere to public health and safety measures including regular handwashing, physical distancing and proper use of face masks.