ADK to begin COVID testing over next week

Managing Director of ADK Hospital Ahmed Af'aal revealed on Wednesday, that the health facility will begin testing for COVID-19 in the upcoming week.

Within the past week, ADK Hospital was equipped with a CPR system for virus testing, as a move to aid the government by increasing testing capacity for COVID-19.

The hospital has also trained health personnel to carry out the necessary procedures.

Moreover, ADK revealed that efforts are also underway to procure automated machines for the hospital in the near future. Armed with the new equipment, the hospital targets a testing capacity of processing 600 samples per day.

At present, COVID-19 testing is only carried out at Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH) and the laboratory at Maldives Police Service (MPS).

The aforementioned facilities have the capacity to generate results for 400 samples per day, however, the government aims to raise this number to 1000.

According to Af'aal, the administration is in discussion with the government to finalize its testing procedure, as the current situation calls for well-established policies.

Noting that the process will be concluded shortly, Af'aal expressed his confidence that testing would commence either on Saturday or Sunday.

"ADK's contribution will be notable in the ongoing nation-wide testing operation", he said.

The hospital currently provides online consultation services in addition to conducting surgeries and childbirth.

Af'aal stated that the hospital is exploring testing options for patients belonging to previously categories, exhibiting flu-like symptoms as well.

Speaking at a press briefing held by the National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC), Health Protection Agency (HPA)'s epidemiologist Dr Ibrahim Afzal emphasised that testing capacity must be increased to confirm the predictions of a surge in COVID-19 cases towards the end of May.

Given that most virus cases recorded in Maldives are asymptomatic, Dr Afzal noted that a surge may no be detected if testing capacity remains low.

Maldives currently records 1,216 confirmed cases of COVID-19 with 1,108 active cases. The country has reported four fatalities and a total of 104 recoveries till date.

WHO has classified the spread of COVID-19 as a global pandemic. The new strain of novel coronavirus has infected over 5.1 million people and claimed over 329,000 lives around the world. However, out of those infected, 2 million people have recovered.