Decision to boost up COVID-19 testing in Sudurpaschim yet to be implemented

Kathmandu - The Sudurpaschim state government's decision to set up coronavirus testing laboratories in several districts is yet to be implemented. It may be noted that the State government here in March-April decided to establish a laboratory each in Baitadi and Doti, and one more at Kailali to enhance its efforts for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19.

The State is heavily dependent on the Seti Provincial Hospital-based laboratory for the test where the number of tests is less. State social development minister Krishna Raj Subedi said the establishment of lab was delayed as it was taking time to ready infrastructure to fix the machine. Besides, there was no response to a tender bid called for the management of logistics including machine to operate the testing facility and this also caused a delay in implementing the decision.

According to him, process is in progress to establish a facility with the capacity of conducting 1,000 tests on a daily basis as per the government's latest decision. Three machines have arrived in Dhangadhi, he said. Till Monday, the figure of confirmed positive cases has reached 3,783 in the State while the highest 1,006 alone is in Kailali, the State's capital.