First robot-operated COVID-19 testing lab inaugurated in Islamabad

ISLAMABAD: For the first time in the country, a robot-operated COVID-19 testing laboratory was inaugurated in Islamabad, ARY News reported on Thursday.

According to the details, British High Commissioner Christian Turner inaugurated the robot-operated COVID-19 testing laboratory in the capital. The mobile laboratory can conduct over 2,000 coronavirus tests per day and it requires as little as six staff members to operate all the shifts.

The UK made mobile laboratory is a Biosafety Level 2 Plus facility built in accordance with ISO 15189 standards.

Addressing the inaugural ceremony, the British high commissioner said, “The laboratory is a vibrant example of a UK-Pakistan relationship built on people.”

Later, taking to social networking website, Twitter, British High Commissioner Christian Turner congratulated Special Assistant to Prime Minister on health Dr Faisal Sultan, Opencell UK and JS Group on the creation of the “best-automated lab in Pakistan”.

It is pertinent to mention here that Future Trust and Opencell UK jointly launched the project to increase Pakistan’s testing capacity for the novel coronavirus.