District Hospital Champhai has received a new RT- PCR machine from UNICEF through ICMR. Law & Judicial Minister TJ Lalnuntluanga, Champhai South MLA handed the RT-PCR machine to the hospital authorities today in an official function. The Law Minister applauded the ‘tireless effort’ of the Chief Minister and the Health Minister in procuring the new test machine.
The RT-PCR laboratory will be temporarily installed in the Eye Ward building of the hospital and the Health & Family Welfare Department and a group of engineers will take on the task of the lab installation. PSA Oxygen Plant received from the PM CARES Fund has also been successfully installed in the Eye Ward building.
Meanwhile, there has been no substantial progress reported regarding the installation of the RT-PCR lab in Lunglei. The RT- PCR machine donated by Congress legislator Zodintluanga started out as a controversial issue when no subsequent measure was taken to install the test machine. The matter was taken to court by a community funded group called RT-PCR for Chhimbial. After a court hearing held on 28 July, 2021, the state Government of Mizoram was ordered by the Gauhati High Court to take the necessary measure for the installation of the RT-PCR lab. The latest reported development the official notification from ICMR to the state government to convert Lunglei Tourist Lodge into a lab. The people of Lunglei and the south districts have waited patiently and fought unflinchingly for the lab to be installed since the absence of RT- PCR lab in the south district has greatly affected the efficiency of Covid19 testing. According to latest reports, the Tourist Lodge bulding is under renovation for the lab installation.
