No COVID-19 testing labs in 43 districts

There is no coronavirus testing lab in 43 among 64 districts of Bangladesh. Samples taken from the test seekers of these districts are being sent and tested at the facilities in nearby districts or in Dhaka.

This is a mounting pressure on the existing facilities as tests are being queued up, delaying the process. In many cases, samples are being discarded too for not following proper procedures during their collection.

Among the total 62 labs to carry out the coronavirus tests, 32 are located in Dhaka. Some other institutions including BRAC are carrying out the tests, too.

Fifteen lab facilities were included in the process over the last one and a half months, of which 14 were private hospitals and diagnostic centres. As the government has fixed the cost of test at Tk 3,5000 at private hospitals, pressure is high at government labs.

A Chinese medical expert team, too, recently expressed their frustration over the lack of tests. They pointed out that test seekers from outside Dhaka had to wait long due to local lab shortage.

The experts stressed that they had succeeded in containing the outbreak in Wuhan through rapid test, trace, isolation and treatment.

The World Health Organization (WHO) too had been stressing extensive test since the beginning of the outbreak. Experts in the country too have been prioritising so since the first case was detected on 8 March. There has been a wide criticism over this since its outbreak in Bangladesh.

A total of 115,786 virus cases have been identified in the country till 22 June. Experts, however, say this does not reflect the actual scenario. They stress more tests as well as more detection required to identify the contagion areas as well to implement effective measures.

According to the Worldometer, Bangladesh follows Mexico in carrying out the lowest tests among countries with over 100,000 COVID-19 cases. Besides, Bangladesh ranks 147th among 215 countries according to tests done against population.

The 21 districts with labs in the country include Dhaka, Narayanganj, Gazipur, Kishoreganj, Faridpur, Chattogram, Noakhali, Cumilla, Cox’s Bazar, Khulna, Jashore, Kushtia, Sylhet, Rangpur, Dinajpur, Rajshahi, Bogura, Sirajganj, Mymensingh, Jamalpur, Barishal.

Other than this, there is a lab in Brahmanbaria, according to the Chittagong health department. But the list of Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) did not include the district till 22 June.

In Dhaka division, there are 32 labs in Dhaka, two in Narayanganj and Gazipur each and one in Kishoreganj and Faridpur each.

In Chattogram division, there are five labs in Chattogram, one in Noakhali, Cumilla and Cox’s Bazar each.

In Khulna division, there is one lab in Khulna, Jashore and Kushtia districts each. In Sylhet division, both of the labs are in Sylhet district. In Rangpur division, one in Rangpur and Dinajpur each. For Rajshahi, there are two labs in Rajshahi and Bogura districts each and one in Sirajganj.

There is one lab in Mymensingh and Jamalpur districts each, of which Jamalpur lab is closed since 27 May due to technical glitches.

In Barishal division, there is only one lab for six districts at Sher-e-Bangla Medical College which has a capacity of 188 tests daily. The number of tests is inadequate for Barishal district alone.

According to health department officials, the number of virus cases reached 2,018 till 20 June with a surge of death and new cases. It takes four-five days to receive reports as the samples are being sent to Dhaka.

According to officials in the medical sector, many upazila hospitals lack Viral Transport Medium (VTM), required to carry coronavirus samples, and use instead common saline swab. The samples get damaged during the process.

A nurse at Barguna sadar hospital, on condition of anonymity, said a private test lab in Mahakhali, Dhaka rejected over 100 samples sent from Barguna in three times.

So far, the highest number of tests carried out in a day in the country is 17,527 on 17 June. At least five labs remain closed every day.

The government will soon launch RT-PCR (Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction) at district level, said Abul Kalam Azad, director general of DGHS adding that, equipment is being installed at the government hospitals and the capacity is being strengthened.

The government did get the time to set up coronavirus test facilities at district level but did not use it, said Nazrul Islam, virologist and former vice-chancellor of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University. He stressed setting up labs without any delay.

*This report, originally, published in Prothom Alo print edition has been rewritten here in English by Nusrat Nowrin.