The Ministry of Health’s testing capacity for COVID-19 received a boost with a donation yesterday of diagnostic laboratory equipment worth $7.2 million from the Chinese embassy in Guyana.
Minister of Health Dr Frank Anthony explained that the Nucleic Acid Extraction System is expected to cut the nine-hour testing process to about two hours, which means that test results will now be available much sooner. He noted that the ministry will now be able to have 96 samples tested and more batches within every eight-hour shift.
Speaking during a brief handing-over ceremony at the Ministry of Health’s Brickdam offices, he disclosed that the Ministry had purchased a similar machine but was experiencing difficulty with having the machine shipped.
Extraction kits for the system were also handed over.
Anthony accepted the donation from the Ambassador of the Peo-ple’s Republic of China to the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, Cui Jianchun.
During the handing over, the minister, on behalf of the Ministry, expressed his appreciation of the donation. He also mentioned that the Chinese Medical Brigade had arrived recently and a health worker who specialized in utilizing the machine was on the team. The health worker has offered to assist in its setting up and usage, Anthony said.
