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AASL claims PCRs at BIA lab continuing

27 Sep 2021

  • Denies media reports of halt
  • Health Ministry claims lab yet to officially commence operations
By Dinitha Rathnayake The process of conducting polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests for air passengers at the new testing facility laboratory at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) in Katunayake has not been stopped, according to Airport and Aviation Services Sri Lanka (Pvt.) Ltd. (AASL) Vice Chairman Rajiv Sooriyaarachchi. It was reported that the collection of test samples at the BIA’s new PCR testing facility has been temporarily halted owing to several technical difficulties that arose in the system which issues test reports to tourists, and due to this, the test samples of local and foreign nationals are collected at the BIA itself and sent to the facility for laboratory procedures. However, he pointed out yesterday (27) that all media reports that had gone viral in this regard were baseless. “At the airport, we are currently conducting PCR tests. Checking is done. There are no issues here. It is completely untrue to say that the laboratory is closed. This is mechanical work. Then various technical errors may arise. Therefore, we are correcting the process by providing solutions to the practical problems that arise in that process. We perform these tests only on those who arrive 14 days after receiving both doses of Covid-19 vaccines. We have stated that this report will be issued in three hours. There is no difference in that. But some reports have been delayed. When we inquired about it, we came to know that this situation had arisen due to problems such as the electronic mail addresses and telephone numbers given by some people. We are working to rectify it now,” Sooriyaarachchi told The Morning. He added that this is not an easy task. “This is a big process. The President wanted to facilitate the arrival of passengers to Sri Lanka as soon as possible; accordingly, these PCR tests. The process of expediting the delivery of tests began. It never stopped.” According to Sooriyaarachchi, the cabinet memorandum on this laboratory was approved on 9 July and it was implemented within two months. “We are now continuing the operational process,” he further added. The laboratory was opened at the BIA on 23 September and is expected to carry out 500 PCR tests per hour and 7,000 PCR tests per day for a charge of $ 40 per traveller. Meanwhile, Health Ministry Communications Director, Deputy Director General (DDG) of Public Health Services, and Disaster Preparedness and Response Division Head Dr. Hemantha Herath said that the new PCR laboratory at the BIA is yet to officially commence operations. He added that passengers arriving in Sri Lanka continue to undergo PCR testing under the existing system as well as the quarantine process. Dr. Herath noted that if operations are to commence at this PCR laboratory, the authorities need to be satisfied with its capacity. He further added that it should also be able to operate continuously and be subjected to several test runs.

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