US to introduce e-labs to reduce turnaround times of Covid-19 tests in EC
Virginia Blaser announced their assistance to improve the health of the province, their government has supported over 250 health workers in conducting Covid-19 screening who have also continued helping with HIV/AIDs testing.
Picture: iStock
The United States of America says they are planning to roll out e-labs to reduce turnaround times for Covid-19, HIV, and tuberculosis (TB) tests in the Eastern Cape.
The US Consul General Virginia Blaser was in a virtual meeting with the province’s premier Oscar Mabuyane on Tuesday, to discuss Covid-19 and how the US can continue to support the province.
Blaser announced their assistance to improve the health of the province, by providing support of over 250 health workers in conducting Covid-19 screening, whilst continuing with HIV/AIDs testing is helping.
The rollout of e-labs will provide data management support hospitals and health facilities in the Eastern Cape and prepare facilities to reduce the transmission of the virus.
The US has already committed to donating 1,000 ventilators to South Africa.
Blaser said: “We are working now to respond to the needs of the individual provinces to ensure that these life-saving devices are deployed where and when they need to be.”
The province currently has the second-highest infection rate of the virus behind the Western Cape, with 4,324 confirmed cases and 88 total deaths.
(Compiled by Sandisiwe Mbhele)
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