SENG PHOO — Burma plans to expand its COVID-19 testing facilities by building two additional laboratories in Shan State.

Dr Myo Tun, the Shan State social minister, informed SHAN that preparations are currently underway to build a lab at Sao San Htun Hospital, located in Taunggyi, and another at Lashio Public Hospital.

Senior doctors from Sao San Htun Hospital attended special training in Yangon to learn how to test for the virus and run the lab, he said. Lashio doctors are currently attending their training.

The Ministry of Health and Sport donated the equipment and the state government should pay for transportation, installation and daily costs to maintain the labs.

“These laboratories use high-end technology, and both the installation and maintenance costs are quite high,” Dr Myo Tun said. The equipment costs 126.4 million kyat (est. US$91,373).

Currently, the National Public Laboratory in Yangon is the only facility in the country capable of testing for the coronavirus.