By Rathindra Kuruwita

The state sector laboratories have the capacity to increase PCR testing by 300%, President of the College of Medical Laboratory Science (CMLS), Ravi Kumudesh says.

Kumudesh said yesterday his Association had presented proposals on how to accomplish this to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Health Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi and senior Health Ministry officials, but there had been no response.

“Instead, the Health Ministry has reduced the number of samples sent to our labs. More samples are sent to private sector labs and there is an attempt to misplead the people into believing that the state sector labs are inefficient, and the private sector can do this better.”

Kumudesh said that there were 28 analysers that had broken down in government labs and a shortage of reagents for testing. The government could easily make the laboratory service a 24-hour service and address the supply chain issues.

“In late March and early April, the number of samples sent for testing at government labs was reduced, and a decrease in the number of infections was declared. This gave people the false belief that there was nothing to be afraid of.  Then they lower their guard.

Kumudesh said some government ministers had recently said that the number of cases would drop during the next two weeks and about 600,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccines would be imported.

‘Where does this two-week number come from? On what basis are they saying that numbers will drop? What countries will give us AstraZeneca jabs? I think it is better if the government tells the people the truth about the AstraZeneca vaccine. If we cannot get them, we should look for alternatives. There are 600,000 people who have had the first AstraZeneca jab. If we cannot get them a second dose, at least tell them that they need to be given a different vaccine.”