To curtail people’s fear and to stop the spread of coronavirus, a based non-government healthcare organisation (NGO) in Bangladesh will soon set up walk-in sample collection booths across the country.
The NGO, JKG Healthcare, has proposed the Health Ministry install some 320 coronavirus sample collection booths in phases in every division, modelled after South Korea's kiosks.
This method was introduced by South Korea’s H Plus Yangji Hospital in Seoul which later was followed by the Indian state of Kerala to fight coronavirus.
"We are training health workers at the booth installed in Dhaka's Titumir College. Two other sample collection points have been set up in Narayanganj’s Siddirganj and Chashara,' said Humaun Kabir, chief of the NGO's visualize wing.
"We have taken this initiative after observing that the general people of the country are going through some sort of stigma regarding the disease. Besides, they need to travel long distances to get tested. With this effort of ours, the chances of coronavirus spreading further will decrease," he added.
During this correspondent's visit to the Titumir College grounds, he saw the sample collection booths there which looked like glass cabins. The environment inside where the medical staff stands is always sterile, and there is no direct contact with those submitting samples for Covid-19 testing.
The healthcare professionals and medical technologists collecting the samples were using gloves affixed on the booth to collect throat swabs from people sitting outside.
"After collecting a sample, health workers are to disinfect the gloves and the chair used by the person whose sample is being collected to ensure the safety of all," added Humayun.
He said: "We are aiming to install 320 booths across the country as soon as possible. However, we are waiting for instructions from the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) on where these sample collection booths could be set up.
“After collecting the samples, we will hand them over to DGHS for testing,” he added.
According to DGHS, at present some 17 labs are conducting coronavirus tests while 11 more will soon start operation.
Director General of DGHS, Abul Kalam Azad, , while addressing the press on several occasions, urged private and non-government organisations of the country to come forward with effective ideas to help them in the fight against coronavirus.
As of Monday, Bangladesh has confirmed 803 coronavirus cases with the death toll rising to 39 after five new fatalities were reported.
The fast spreading Covid-19 has so far killed 115,000 people in more than 200 countries and territories.
