Kumudesh slams Health Ministry for humiliation caused to country by China’s refusal to accept private lab reports

By Rathindra Kuruwita 

The government should immediately suspend the state officials in charge of laboratory services and regulating the private sector following China’s decision to suspend the Nawaloka hospital as the designated hospital for PCR and antibody tests, President – College of Medical Laboratory Science (CMLS,) Ravi Kumudesh said.

Earlier the Chinese Embassy in Colombo said that several passengers from Sri Lanka holding negative PCR and anti-body test reports issued by Nawaloka hospital had been diagnosed with COVID-19 after their arrival in China.

“In order to ensure the health and safety of all passengers to China, the Chinese Embassy in Sri Lanka will suspend Nawaloka hospital as the designated hospital for PCR and IgM anti-body tests and will not accept the reports of PCR and IgM anti-body tests issued by the hospital from 13 July 2021,” the embassy said.

Kumudesh said that the Chinese Embassy action had ruined the reputation not only the hospital concerned, but also the entire laboratory services in Sri Lanka. The CMLS said the Health Ministry officers had allowed the private sector to conduct PCR tests, despite the fact that the government labs were capable of doing them.