Covid-testing lab to come up in Ambala

Tribune News Service

Ambala, May 17

The Health Department is establishing a laboratory at a polyclinic of city’s Sector 10 to start Covid testing. The machines are likely to be installed by Monday evening.

Civil Surgeon Dr Kuldeep Singh, who reached the polyclinic on Sunday for inspection, said: “A laboratory equipped with the RT-PCR equipment is being established. All mandatory approvals required for testing from the ICMR will be obtained for which we will apply on Monday. We will get the permission within two-three days. We also have a CB-NAAT machine, and its cartridges will arrive in a day or two. The CB-NAAT will have a capacity to test 90 samples a day. The lab will be testing 300 samples a day. We can increase the testing capacity.”

Dr Kuldeep said: “So far, we were sending our samples to different labs in Haryana, Panchkula and Chandigarh. We used to get the results the next day but now it will be possible within 10 to 12 hours. Samples from neighbouring districts are also likely to come to Ambala for testing. We have got our staff trained for the testing and additional one-day training will be provided to them. At present, the lab will function for 18 hours a day and within a week, it will work round the clock.”