Staff Reporter :
International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b) has been given the permission to begin testing of patients with COVID-19, alongside the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR), icddr,b officials confirmed it on Monday.
“The government included us in the plans to expand COVID-19 testing. We appreciate this. At this time, we are working out the details with government on who we will test, how the samples will be collected,” said AKM Tariful Islam Khan, Media Manager of Communications at icddr,b.
This brings the total number of laboratories allowed to test coronavirus to eight including Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, Dhaka Medical College and Hospital, Bangladesh Institute of Tropical and Infectious Diseases at Chattogram, Cox’s Bazar Medical College Hospital, Institute of Public Health and Dhaka Shishu Hospital and Khulna Medical College Hospital.
Besides, the test facilities will be expanded to Sir Salimullah Medical College Hospital, Mymensingh Medical College Hospital, Rajshahi Medical College Hospital and Sher-E- Bangla Medical College Hospital in Barishal within next week.
All laboratory technicians, EPI technicians, radiographers have been trained on doing PCR tests in 64 districts and 100 upazilas soon.
Until March 28, IEDCR was the sole testing authority as the coronavirus outbreak reached the fourth week in Bangladesh.
