MoH to build five more labs - Noor Hisham

The Health Ministry (MOH) is building five more new laboratories to carry out detection test for COVID-19.

Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said the five laboratories are expected to be built in Tawau and Sandakan, Sabah; Miri and Bintulu, Sarawak, and Kluang in Johor, bringing to 48 the total number of laboratories under MOH in the country.

“For a start, we want to increase the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test to 16,500 per day. Today, our capacity at the existing 43 laboratories is 11,500.

“What is more important for us is to optimise the existing laboratories because the PCR test has many pending cases and requires at least six hours. If there are are more cases the report will be delayed by 24 to 48 hours,” he added.

-- BERNAMA