BY MAVIS N PODOKOLO
THE National Public Health Laboratory (NPHL) will soon perform covid-19 testing for individuals who wish to fly out of the country.
This was confirmed by Vincent Suriga, laboratory science officer, NPHL, during a ground breaking ceremony of NPHL new office space last week.
“National Public Health Laboratory is ready to run COVID-19 tests for those who will be flying out of Solomon Islands. The only delay we have at the moment is the positing of covid-19 testing equipment’s to meet covid-19 testing guidelines and protocols.”
He said the NPHL has a GeneXpert machine that will be used to carry out the test. The machines have four chambers but only two chambers are working at the moment.
He also said World Health Organisation (WHO) will fund a qPCR machine, its room is already made available at the NPHL.
“The only work left to do is positioning and arranging inside of the Laboratory to suite COVID-19 testing protocols before testing for covid-19 for those who wish to fly out overseas,” he said.
He stressed the laboratory will only conduct covid-19 test for those who will be flying out of the country. For incoming passengers they will be tested at the National Referral Hospital molecular lab.
Minister for Ministry of Health and Medical Services Dr Culwick Togamana also said the “GeneXpert machine is now ready, the cabinets installed, the reagents are already here but it is positioning all the testing apparatus otherwise the NPHL is ready and equipped to start do the covid-19 testing it is only the matter of when”.
