VC says KMU testing lab largest in country

PESHAWAR: The Khyber Medical University Vice-Chancellor Dr Arshad Javaid has said the varsity houses the largest public sector testing lab of the country.

In a statement on Sunday, he said the KMU along with the KP Health Department is at the forefront of the Covid-19 response. He said the KMU took up the challenge of conducting the tests for SARS-Cov-2. The KMU vice-chancellor said there has been an unprecedented response to the public sector entity only because of exemplary team work and he termed the lab staff as real heroes.

He said the lab is staffed with 20 PhD faculty, 40 qualified technologists and minimal support staff members. The vice-chancellor said the lab is led by senior faculty members trained for the purpose. He said he had been saddened to report that five of the 70 staff members working at the KMU Lab have contracted the virus. The source of infection is most likely to be from the community as the staff work in shifts and most of the infected had been away from the lab recently, he explained.

These front line heroes, including a faculty member, one technician, a receptionist, a Naib Qasid and a cook, have been quarantined properly. All the staff members have been tested. Those working inside the lab have tested negative except the above-mentioned technician. Dr Arshad Javaid said he was proud of these KMU heroes who have dedicated themselves in these testing times.