Nagaland: Groundwork for 2 COVID-19 test labs processed

Principal Secretary for Health and Family Welfare, Menukhol John; Secretary to the Government, Health &Family Welfare, Kesonyü Yhome; and Principal Director for Health and Family Welfare, Dr Vizolie Suokhrie during a press briefing in Kohima on April 7.  

Morung Express News
Kohima | April 7

Nagaland has processed the groundwork to set up two COVID-19 testing labs in the State. They include a level 2 Bio Safety Lab (BSL) at Christian Institute of Health Sciences and Research, 4th Mile, Dimapur and a level 3 BSL at Naga Hospital Authority Kohima (NHAK).

Announcing this at a press briefing this evening at the Directorate of Health & Family Welfare, Kesonyü Yhome, Secretary to the Government, Health & Family Welfare and Convener of the four-member team, said that the state government has set a very ambitious target “not in terms of months but a few weeks,” considering the urgent need for testing labs.
The team is headed by Yhome as the Convener, Dr Tina Khamo, pathologist as the Secretary and Director, CIHSR, Dr. Sedevi Angami and Dr Abhijit Mitro as members.

While noting that this particular issue has taken the front seat and everybody is looking at the timeline, Yhome however, said that all procedures and safety protocols of international standards have to be maintained, taking into consideration the hazardous biological agents in an enclosed laboratory facility.

Highlighting the progress of the project, he said the committee is in touch with a firm in Guwahati who will assemble all the materials that will come from different cities across India. At the same time, he reminded that despite the pressing need, “we have to understand that even if there is a break in the chain, there will be delay in a day or two and naturally there will be delay in sending the materials.”

Top priority but various protocols involved 
“We have set the target not in months but few weeks, but we are not setting a date at this point of time” said Yhome and reassured that the labs are being set up solely for COVID-19. This is a top priority for the State, he added. 

Yhome further assured that there would be no compromise as far as the procedures are concerned, adding that the suggestions and opinions of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) are being sought at every step. Every step of the protocol in setting up of a level 3 BSL will be followed in toto, he said.

He also informed that the offices of the Nagaland Governor and the Chief Minister are being engaged to ensure that the materials required do not take two weeks but two days to reach the destination. 

Eventually after completion and set up, he informed that the ICMR would verify that all security protocols are being followed in order to issue certification. It will only be up and running after certification from the ICMR.

Principal Secretary for Health and Family Welfare, Menukhol John meanwhile stated that acquiring enough manpower for the labs is a challenge in the State. He however said that fortunately, some medical personnel have been identified and they will be sent for training while the physical infrastructure is being set up. 

‘Manageable cost’ 
The Principal Secretary further informed that the government is currently working out the exact cost of setting up the labs. “We will manage it,” he said adding that there is no question of the cost at this hour.

With regard to the public facing difficulties due to the conversion of district hospitals into COVID-19 hospitals, he informed that a directive has been issued that general OPDs should continue till such time that there is no detection of positive cases.

In case of such eventuality, he stated that patients will be referred to the nearest health care units, and that private hospitals are also roped in for the same.

‘Samples not compromised’
Clarifying on social media reports that samples of suspected COVID-19 cases need to be tested within 4 hours, and that samples from Nagaland take 6-7 hours to reach Imphal, Principal Director for Health and Family Welfare, Dr Vizolie Suokhrie informed that the samples are being transported in a viral transport medium.

There is no compromising of the validity of the sample once it reaches the labs as reported in social media, he assured. 
Rather, he said, the virus can grow in the ‘specified temperature’ inside the viral transport and that test reports are coming in early.