Covid-19: Health department set to dramatically increase capacity for testing

Minister of Health, Dr Zweli Mkhize, has said that there is a significant backlog of coronavirus tests which need to be processed.

He said that the backlog has been felt especially by some private laboratories due to pressure caused by the increasing workload.

Mkhize added, “We are pleased that the National Health Laboratory Services has increased its testing facilities.”

There are five laboratories in academic hospitals around the country, these include Inkosi Albert Luthuli Hospital, Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital, Universitas Hospital, Tygerberg Hospital and Groote Schuur Hospital, in addition to the lab at the National Institute for Communicable Diseases. The department is also extending its services to three more hospitals located in Gauteng and Eastern Cape.

“We have seven mobile testing laboratories and in April we will have a total of 47 which will spread all over the country. By the end of April, we will be able to do 30 000 tests per day if required and we continue to source suppliers of test kits from different suppliers so that we can meet the demand.”

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