Sudurpachim State struggling to send blood samples to Kathmandu

Bhimdattanagar: Without transportation means, the public health laboratory in Sudurpachim State is facing difficulty to send blood samples of coronavirus suspected people to Kathmandu for the test. The laboratory has however sent blood samples of 14 suspected people to Kathmandu for test so far.

“Of the samples sent from Kailali, Bajura and Kanchanpur, reports of nine suspected have been found negative for the virus,” said lab technician and focal person of the laboratory, Ram Prasad Ojha, adding that so far, Kailali has sent blood samples of seven suspected people to the laboratory- Bajura four and Kanchanpur three.

Of the samples sent from Kanchanpur, two have been sent to Kathmandu for test, and reports are awaited, he said, adding that efforts were on to send remaining samples at the laboratory in Kathmandu.

He admitted that difficulties had involved sending samples to Kathmandu due to lockdown. “Transportation and airway are shut creating difficulty to send samples to Kathmandu. However, alternatives are being sought in this regard,” he said.

Lack of laboratories to test for coronavirus outside the Kathmandu Valley has also made the matter worse.

Only Kathmandu-based laboratory, National Public Health Laboratory, has resources to test for the infection. 

Three suspected people have been kept at Mahakali Hospital in Bhimdattanagar. Their swabs have been sent to Kathmandu, and reports are awaited, said a health worker.

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