COVID-19 testing: 50 Genexperts to be retrofitted in the coming weeks- GHS assures

About 50 Genexperts; biomedical devices used for TB testing are to be retrofitted in the coming weeks, as government processes payment for some cartridges and glove boxes to be used for COVID-19 testing in the country.

Director General for the Ghana Health Service, Dr. Patrick Aboagye hinted during today’s briefing that government had issued a payment order to get these devices in-country, as soon as possible to complement existing testing facilities.

“A payment order has been issued for the cartridges to be brought in together with glove boxes, that makes it safe to use. So we are expecting that in the next few days or so, we will be able to upgrade about fifty of them for use” Dr. Aboagye intimated.

President Nana Addo in a televised message assured of government’s commitment to have a total of one hundred (100) Genexpert machines which are installed across health facilites in the country upgraded, to support the testing of the virus.

The Ghana Association of Medical Laboratory Scientist (GAMLS) had been insistent on government to get this done in earnest to enhance the testing and management of the coronavirus.

But Dr. Aboagye argues that government had since the outbreak had within its response plan, a strategy to have these equipment ready for testing the virus.

“The roll out of the genexpert has been part of government program from day one. It was not an after-thought or a suggestion by any lab group” he stressed.