Our
Correspondent
Kohima, March 24 (EMN): According to state health
officials, owing to the lack of a testing centre for the novel coronavirus
(Covid-19) in Nagaland, test samples are being sent to neighbouring states of
Assam and Manipur.
Principal Director of Health and Family Welfare Department, Nagaland, Dr. Vizolie Z Suokhrie said that an acre of land was identified to set up a virology laboratory (which performs testing modalities for viruses) in Dimapur as agreed between the state and the Centre.
Accordingly, the principal director went to Delhi in January 2020 to find out the latest status as they were expecting sanction by this financial year. However, it turned out that everyone was busy taking preventive measures for Covid-19.
On few occasions and press conferences in Kohima, the principal director has pointed out the complications of having a virology laboratory in the state. He said that these types of labs are "very infectious" and cannot be set up like any other laboratory. It requires multiple layers of protection so that the site as well as people are protected.
This was one of the main reasons why private laboratories had not initiated it, he said. Further, the laboratory requires one acre of land, needs to be secured, and have to have high-level prohibition, he added.
Once the state develops a virology lab, it can always activate more facilities to facilitate this type of situation (coronavirus), according to Suokhrie.
As of now, test samples from Nagaland are being sent to the three nearest testing centres at Dibrugarh, Imphal, and Guwahati. Within six hours, the reports are expected to be informed. He added that transportation facility has been made available for that.
According to the Nagaland Epidemic Disease (Covid-19) Regulation 2020, Clause 14: "No private laboratories have been authorised to take or test samples for Covid-19 in the state of Nagaland. All such samples will be collected as per guidelines of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India and they will be sent to designated laboratories by the state nodal officer appointed by Health and Family Welfare department, Nagaland.”