By Demion McTair. Updated 8:01 p.m., Friday May 15, 2020, Atlantic Standard Time (GMT-4).
Kingstown, St.Vincent (ONE NEWS SVG) – The PCR machine required for COVID-19 testing arrived in St. Vincent and the Grenadines today (May 15), Health Minister, Luke Browne says.
“The shipment of this item was delayed in the USA for reasons beyond our control” , Browne posted on Facebook.
“This is an important breakthrough. We should now be able to commence in-country testing by the middle of next week after machine set-up and training” – Browne added.
The PCR machine which arrived today was purchased by the Ministry of Health, Wellness and the Environment with funding from the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank.
Browne says the ministry expects to receive additional PCR machines from the International Atomic Energy Agency (2 machines) and Taiwan (2 machines).
With the presence of the machine, St. Vincent and the Grenadines now joins several of its OECS counterparts, having the ability conduct in-country Covid-19 testing.
Currently, the country relies on the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) lab in Trinidad and Tobago to conduct PCR tests for Covid-19.
