Two private labs join public entities to offer coronavirus tests

AMMAN — Thus far, the Ministry of Health has approved only two private sector laboratories —"MedLabs" and "Biolab"  — for conducting coronavirus testing.

Director of the ministry’s central laboratories directorate Mahmoud Ghazou said in a statement carried by the Jordan News Agency, Petra on Sunday that the authorised laboratories are subject to particular standards for conducting the tests.

 The standards specify the type of tools used to conduct the tests, as well as necessary precautions for the personal protection of cadres performing the tests during the collection of samples in homes, in accordance with the approval of the ministry.

He stressed that the Ministry of Health is holding the laboratories to the Public Health Law, and is providing them with data concerning the number of people previously tested and the results of the tests in the event of any positive samples appearing.

He also requested that the laboratories send positive samples to the ministry, which in turn will verify the results.

Ghazou said that, in the coming days, the ministry will announce other laboratories that have applied for authorisation to test for the virus after confirming their technical ability to do so.

The Ministry of Health has set the price of the test at JD70, he noted, adding that the amount includes the testing fees, costs of personal protection materials used when drawing samples and “a small profit margin”. In this context, he stressed, the greater national good calls for giving less focus to making profits.

The director highlighted the role that private laboratories can play in relieving pressure on government hospitals approved to test for the virus, especially for people who want to travel and who are not in contact with proven cases or for people coming from affected areas.

Ghazou stressed that the ministry provides free testing for all those who have been in contact with infected persons and those coming from affected areas.