Only one lab prepared for coronavirus tests

The government for the time being wants to restrict coronavirus testing to just one laboratory. From Saturday, the Institute of Public Health (IPH) will issue coronavirus health certificates to passengers travelling to Kuwait. The health ministry also has plans to set up quarantine facilities with World Bank funding, according to two senior officials of the ministry.

Almost every day new coronavirus cases are appearing in various countries around the world, creating global concern. Though no one has been diagnosed with the virus in Bangladesh so far, a sense of alarm prevails. After a lawyer brought the matter to the attention to the Supreme Court on Saturday, the High Court issued verbal directives for a report to be submitted about what tests were being carried out on passengers arriving by land, river and air routes.

The Kuwait government has said that Bangladeshis travelling to Kuwait will require health certificates issued by the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR). Upon learning about the matter at the Kuwait embassy in Dhaka, passengers have been rushing to IEDCR.

Around 50 or so persons had gathered around the IEDCR building at around 1:30 in the afternoon on Thursday. Mohammed Rashed from Nawabganj said that he had been working in Kuwait for 19 years and had returned home on 20 February. He was due to return to Kuwait on 10 March, but then learnt he would require a certificate to confirm he did not have coronavirus.

Rashed told newsmen, “I learnt that I would require a health certificate when I went to the Kuwait embassy this morning.” He was echoed by Md Abdul Hakim from Mirpur. Hakim has been working for the past 20 years at the ‘Chillis-US Restaurant’ in Kuwait. The Kuwait embassy gave them instructions of where to get their health test.

IEDCR director Meerjady Sabrina told Prothom Alo that IPH in Mohakhali of the capital city would provide the health certificates from 9:00 in the morning on Saturday. Those due to travel over the next three days would be given priority. They would have to take their passports and air tickets with them to get the certificates.

Concerned officials said certain factors would be taken into consideration regarding the issuance of health certificates. This included determining whether the person had visited a coronavirus-affected country over the last 14 days and whether he or she had any symptoms of COVID-19. Trained physicians would carry out the tests.

So far IEDCR has tested sputum and blood samples of 109 persons and none have been diagnosed with coronavirus. IEDCR has said the condition of the Bangladesh’s affected with the virus in Singapore, UAE and Italy has remained the same.

Director general of the health directorate, Abul Kalam Azad, speaking to the media at IEDCR, said that for the time being no private oganisation was being given permission to carry out the coronavirus tests. He explained that having the test instruments and reagents was not enough. The laboratories would have to have bio-safety facilities so that the health workers were not affected when carrying out the tests.

The International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b) has such a laboratory, along with the technology and reagents required for the test. Abul Kalam Azad said that IEDCR has the capacity of testing 1000 samples. If necessary, they would take help from icddr,b.

A certain private organisation has approached the health department for permission to carry out the tests, and at least four organisations have brought in coronavirus testing technology, but none of these have bio-safety labs.

However, a certain private organisation, other than icddr.b, has said that they have the facilities to check for coronavirus while keeping their health workers safe. The health directorate is also aware of this.

The DG (health) has said that the World Bank has committed funds of USD 100 million (Tk 8.5 billion) to tackle COVID-19.

Meerjady Sabrina has said that alongside other areas, the funds would also be used to create a quarantine centre. She said, “We have used the hajj camp at Ashkona to deal with the situation so far, but with World Bank funding a quarantine infrastructure will be built up. Planning is underay.”

Three Philippine nationals have been quarantined in the cabin of a coal-carrying cargo vessel at Mongla port. The three were found to have fever during health checks. IEDCR has advised they be kept isolated.

The vessel MV Serenitas, bearing the Marshall Islands flag and carrying 24,000 tonnes of coal, arrived at Chittagong port on Wednesday, via Singapore and then went on to anchor at Mongla. Health checks were carried out on the 20 sailors aboard, after which the three Philippine nationals with fever were quarantined.

Deputy attorney general Abdullah Al Mahmud Bashar, speaking to Prothom Alo, said that the court has verbally issued three directives to the health ministry and the health directorate regarding the coronavirus tests. The courts wanted to know, firstly, what tests were carried out on those arriving from abroad by air, land, and sea routes and whether those conducting the tests were trained.

Secondly, while preparations had been made at the government hospitals, separate treatment facilities should be ensured at private hospitals too, in consideration of the coronavirus risk.

Thirdly, the court wanted to know if the government and private hospitals were equipped with the required equipment to run coronavirus checks at the airports, land ports and sea ports.

Lawyer Ishrat Jahan, who had brought the matter to the attention of the court, told Prothom Alo, “Last year we saw what a situation the country faced with the dengue outbreak. Now the Bangladesh media every day warns of the coronavirus threat. Those arriving from abroad are not being tested properly. If we faced such a crisis over the known disease dengue, what will happen over the unknown coronavirus?”