Ensure all laboratories and experts are being utilised

In a press conference in mid-March, WHO head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus had memorably said it is not possible to "fight a fire blindfolded" and "we have a simple message for all countries—test, test and test." However, Bangladesh is yet to fully take this advice on board, as there are still a good number of laboratories and experts based in universities and government research institutions that are not being utilised in the fight against coronavirus. According to a report in this daily on May 6, there are some 26 real-time polymerase chain reaction instruments in 17 public institutions, and 46 in 37 private ones, as well as hundreds of scientists and technicians who have specialised knowledge of using these instruments. However, only three out of the 17 public institutions, and seven non-government hospitals and institutions, are conducting coronavirus tests.

Given recent reports on how almost 1,000 people are lining up for hours at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) every day to get tested (although it only has the capacity to test 200-250 people per day), it is shocking that the government has been allowing these resources to remain underutilised due to organisational inertia from the health ministry. Recently, this daily carried photos of a mother crying over the body of her 11-month-old son, who had flu-like symptoms for three days, and died before he could get tested. We will never know if this child had coronavirus, and we still have no clear idea how many people might be infected but remain untested. Against this backdrop, why are requests from these institutions—such as the University of Dhaka's proposal to the health ministry regarding the use of university laboratories for Covid-19 diagnosis—being so negligently ignored? Given that health officials suspect that Bangladesh could have between 50,000 and 100,000 cases of coronavirus by the end of May, why are we still screening people at only 33 designated centres that have the capacity to test around 3,000 samples in 24 hours?

Now that shopping malls, all types of shops and other businesses have permission to resume operations starting May 10, it is even more crucial for us to ensure widespread testing and stop a wave of community transmission before it is too late. We urge the authorities to immediately take steps to ensure all laboratories across the country are able to diagnose Covid-19. The health ministry must immediately provide support to adequately equip these laboratories and coordinate with them to guarantee tests for all suspected cases of Covid-19.