Tourism Minister intervenes to resolve crisis over medical laboratory services at BIA

• Minister says intention was to function laboratory services productively, ready to reconsider proposals made by SLAGMLT 

Tourism Minister Prasanna Ranatunga and members of the Sri Lanka Association of Government Medical Laboratory Technologist (SLAGMLT) yesterday held a crucial discussion on setting up of a new laboratory facility to conduct PCR tests for tourists at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA).

The discussion was convened by the Tourism Minister in response to comments made by the SLAGMLT claiming that the Government was going to privatise the medical laboratory services, following the Health Ministry giving approval to the Credence Genomics to handle all tourist arrivals, outbound passengers, hotel guests, airports and seaports along with companies in the Board of Investment Industrial zones.

“The public has been misled by the comments made by SLAGMLT claiming that the Government is going to privatise the airport medical laboratory. All we wanted was to function the laboratory services productively, whilst ensuring that the international travellers are undisturbed,” Ranatunga added.

He pointed out that as the subject Minister he was responsible to ensure tourists arriving in Sri Lanka will be able to obtain their PCR tests and reports and continue with their tour within a very short period of time without having to spend hours inside the airport.

“There are constant allegations from tourists that they have to wait for hours inside the airport for medical tests. In this context, the aim of the new proposal was to formalise the laboratory services for the tourist to obtain their PCR reports within three hours and allow them to continue with their final destination,” he explained.

It was also pointed out that Health Ministry-recommended institutions have been given the opportunity to submit plans for this purpose under the new proposal. However, the Minister said that he was ready to reconsider the proposals made by the SLAGMLT and agreed to work in a manner that would be beneficial to the country.

The Minister pointed out that it was not possible to maintain a medical laboratory institute inside the airport in accordance with the rules of operation of the airport and that the local airport terminal, which currently houses the laboratory, should be freed up for domestic flights scheduled to commence by next month.

Both parties agreed to commence joint negotiations to set up a new airport laboratory that will allow travellers arriving at the airport to receive PCR reports without having to linger for hours and be sent on their journey.

It is expected that many tourists from Germany, the UK, China and other countries are expected to visit Sri Lanka in May and June. In such an environment, laboratory tests and all other tests should be carried out at the airport and future plans should be made to release foreigners in a very short period of time.

The Minister emphasised readiness to work with all parties to maintain the airport laboratory in a manner that would benefit the country to help generate revenue for the Government in the process of fighting to contain the spread of the virus.

SLAGMLT President Ravi Kumudesh commended the Minister for convening such a discussion and shared the association’s views and suggestions on behalf of the new airport laboratory, which would be discussed with all parties concerned in the coming days.