New laboratory for PCR testing opens at Colombo Army Hospital

Pix by Lasantha Kumara

The daily PCR testing capacity has increased by 300 in Sri Lanka with the opening of an Infectious Disease Molecular Diagnostic Laboratory at the Colombo Army Hospital yesterday. The laboratory, which cost Rs. 30 million to construct, is for Army personnel and their families and hopes to expand its capacity to 600 PCR tests a day to cater to national requirements. 

At the opening of the laboratory Chief of Defence Staff Commander of the Army National Operation Centre for Prevention of COVID-19 Outbreak (NOCPCO) Head Lieutenant General Shavendra Silva said the automated technology the laboratory is equipped with will ensure quick diagnosis of infectious diseases.

“Although we do not find any more positive cases from society, it is vital that all of us adhere to the recommended health practices since a minor lapse would cause an outbreak as we experienced in the past,” he added, going on to attribute the establishment of the latest COVID-19 laboratory to the efforts of Major General Sanjeewa Munasinghe.

“When you think of our neighbouring India where over 90,000 cases were reported a day, we feel our people behaved with discipline and dedication supporting our efforts in the control of transmission, a practice that should be continued,” he added.

In a statement issued yesterday, the Sri Lanka Army said a strategic approach in preventing wide community spread of COVID-19 should “inevitably include rapid case identification by early diagnosis of acute infection in both symptomatic and asymptomatic patients.”

In addition to this, isolation of all cases, comprehensive contact tracing, quarantining of exposed contacts, and effective public health and infection prevention control measures were also vital.

The Sri Lanka Army added that there are currently 20 designated laboratories across the country that carry out PCR testing in an effort to contain the spread of COVID-19.