President of the Sri Lanka Association of Government Medical Laboratory Technologists Ravi Kumudesh today (04) stated that the implementation of a PCR laboratory in the Colombo General Hospital has been purposely neglected, even with authorities campaigning for it during the last three months. "Approval for the implementation of a PCR laboratory has been given by the Health Ministry three months ago, yet a specialist doctor within the hospital has rejected the implementation of it purposely," he told the Morning. In addition, he stated that a PCR machine donated in collaboration with the Gateway International School Colombo has also been rejected by the same specialist doctor and given away to the Sri Jayawardenapura University, in which it has been used. "We have had 6 COVID deaths so far in the Colombo General Hospital and we have only identified them as being positive after the postmortem has been released. It is important for us to have a PCR machine and laboratory at hand with the amount of patients we get in a day," Kumudesh further stated. Health Ministry spokesperson Dr. Jayaruwan Bandara told the Morning, "We have provided approval for the implementation of a PCR laboratory in the Colombo General three months ago and we have also played a part in donating the PCR machine alongside the Gateway International School Colombo. We will take up this case within the health ministry to make sure no action of this nature will reoccur."