No equipment for gene sequencing of Coronavirus

• Attempts made on three occasions to purchase a machine never materialized due to the influence of a certain force

The absence of Gene Sequencing Analyzers for the identification of the variants of the Coronavirus was a serious matter, an official said.

President of the Sri Lanka Association of Government Medical Laboratory Technologists Ravi Kumudesh said there was no equipment for this purpose with the Health Ministry.

He said though the emergence of new variants of the virus was a normal phenomenon, it was a serious issue to be taken note of when containing the pandemic. He urged the authorities concerned to pay attention in this regard.
He said attempts were made on three occasions to purchase such a machine, but it never materialized due to the influence of a certain force.

At the beginning of the pandemic, steps were taken to install such a machine at the Medical Research Institute through the support of the Asian Development Bank, but the health authorities ignored it.
He said similar attempts were taken in April this year with assistance from the World Bank but in vain.

• The absence of Gene Sequencing Analyzers for the identification of the variants of the Coronavirus was a serious matter, an official said
• At the beginning of the pandemic, steps were taken to install such a machine at the Medical Research Institute through the support of the Asian Development Bank, but the health authorities ignored it