03/05/2006

Molecular Biology lab opens in BT

Minister of Health and Population Hetherwick Ntaba said a state-of-the-art Molecular Biology Laboratory that opened in Blantyre on Tuesday will help in the national fight to prevent the spread of HIV.

The laboratory will provide medical care and follow up services including CD4 counts and viral load analysis as well as nutritional evaluation and supplementation.

“It will also focus on efforts to reinforce adherence to ARV regimens, including health and peer education managed by people living with HIV and Aids. Special focus centres on prevention of Mother-to-Child transmission,” said Ntaba.

He said he was happy that the programme has taken note of the profound human resources crisis in the country.

“The programme has not raided our laboratory specialists for these new laboratories. Rather, they have selected persons from outside the sector, with a background and interest in laboratory careers and trained them in the Mozambican Molecular Biology Laboratories.”

The construction of the laboratory in Blantyre was done through the Italian community of Sant Egidio. Similar laboratories will be built in Lilongwe at Mtengowanthenga and in Mzuzu.

Ntaba also laid a foundation stone for a multi- purpose centre at Kapeni in Blantyre.

Chief executive of Banca Intesa Corrado Passera said the services the laboratory will be providing are free of charge.

The Sant Egidio came in the country last year with an offer of Euros 9 million Euros (about K1.4 billion) over a period of three years to establish a drug resource enhancement against Aids and malnutrition.

Emmanuel Muwamba