KOTA SAMARAHAN: The Covid-19 testing capacity for Sarawak has now increased following the completion of the external Molecular Laboratory (M-LAB) at Sarawak Heart Centre here.

A press release issued yesterday said this new laboratory, designed and constructed to achieve a sufficient safety standard to conduct testing of virulent viruses, was completed and commissioned on April 15 in a short period of time, not least due to the Movement Control Order (MCO) that is in effect.

“With this new external M-LAB, Sarawak’s testing capacity would be increased by another 15 per cent by adding another site to the two existing laboratories in the Kuching-Samarahan area.

“This not only increases Sarawak’s capability to fight Covid-19 but also increases its readiness against future infectious diseases,” said the press release.

It also said the construction and operation of this new external M-LAB was only made possible through the collaborative efforts of many state agencies, companies and individuals, coordinated by the Sarawak Health Department.

Companies who donated their time and/or monies to enable the successful construction of this project included Project & Programme Matters Sdn Bhd, KTA (Sarawak) Sdn Bhd, ForHil Sdn Bhd, Unique Formosa Sdn Bhd, Mapha Engineering Sdn Bhd and RT Cargo Sdn Bhd.

The press release explained that the construction of the lab was initiated after the Sarawak Disaster Management Committee during Phase 1 of the MCO set a target to increase testing capacity for Covid-19 at 2,000 tests per day.

The main testing facilities then were at the pathology laboratories of Sarawak General Hospital (SGH) and Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas).

To further increase the testing capacity and capability at SGH, its Clinical Research Centre (CRC SGH) was also approved to do this but its existing laboratory at Sarawak Heart Centre was not suitable for Covid-19 testing.

Therefore, a solution had to be found to quickly erect a temporary external facility at the Sarawak Heart Centre for this purpose, said the press release.

“The M-LAB serves two main functions during this Covid-19 outbreak. One, to provide advanced detection of Covid-19 for patients who may be required to be admitted to Sarawak Heart Centre for treatment, as it is a supporting hospital for SGH.

“And two, to function as a supporting lab for the pathology laboratories of SGH,” it added.

It revealed that a meeting was called on March 28 at Sarawak Heart Centre, chaired by state Health deputy director Dr Kamarudin Lajim, where it was decided that a new external M-LAB would be erected near the Emergency Department there.

It was also decided then that the new laboratory should be constructed to a Biosafety Level 3 specification.

Discussions and close collaboration with construction industry players culminated in the commencement of works on the new external M-LAB on April 1 this year.

“In parallel, discussions were held with other Sarawak state departments and agencies including the Sarawak Research and Development Council, Sarawak Biodiversity Centre, Department of Agriculture Sarawak, Forestry Department Sarawak, with Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak Campus and Unimas, for temporary support with equipment and personnel,” it explained.