Health Ministry equips private labs for antigen testing
Jan. 14, 2021
KINGSTON, Jamaica. Thursday, January 14, 2021: Six private laboratories now have the benefit of 30,000 antigen test kits to support national testing efforts for COVID-19, following a donation from the Ministry of Health and Wellness earlier today.
“This is another example of public-private partnership around testing as part of our COVID-19 response as a country. It is another case of our working together as a team, as a country to protect our population – our locals and those who visit,” noted Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr. Christopher Tufton.
The donation of 30,000 SD Biosensor test kits will support the laboratories’ offer of testing beginning next Monday, January 18, pending the arrival of their own supplies within two weeks.
The labs are Microlabs Limited, Biomedical, MDLink, Winchester Medical, Technological Solutions Limited, and Baywest Wellness.
Speaking on behalf of the recipients, Helen Christian, Chief Executive Officer for Biomedical, welcomed the donation.
“This is much appreciated. It will help us to rollout and ramp up the testing across Jamaica for our fellow Jamaicans, as well as for our tourists and to ensure we work together to combat this COVID-19 pandemic,” she said.
The Ministry of Health and Wellness is also working with four other private entities to offer PCR testing – the gold standard in testing for the virus that causes COVID-19 – within another two to four weeks. The details of those efforts will be made public later.
The Ministry continues to encourage the Jamaican public to remain vigilant in the exercise of COVID-19 infection prevention and control measures, including the wearing of masks, physical distancing and the frequent washing and/or sanitising of hands.