COVID-19: UMS gears up to become detection centre in Sabah

KOTA KINABALU, March 30 -- The Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) Biotechnology Research Institute (IPB) is gearing up to become a COVID-19 detection centre in Sabah and assist the state Health Department (JKNS) conduct various detection tests.

Its director Dr Zarina Amin said in a statement today that a team of IPB researchers had undergone training in COVID-19 screening on March 27.

“After discussions between the two agencies involved in the COVID-19 screening - JKNS and the State Public Health Laboratory - they agreed that the detection of COVID-19 could be done at the IPB as we also have specialised researchers and proper screening facilities,” she said.

Zarina said the internal training session was held based on a real-life situation under the supervision of experienced bio-security officers and laboratory assistants. 

Among the things accomplished were discussions on work steps, risk management, review of Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) and mitigation steps starting from receiving, storing, sample processing, data analysis to sample disposal, she said.

Meanwhile, a group of UMS researchers from the Science and Natural Resources Faculty has produced face shields to be donated to all hospitals in Sabah.

Head researcher Dr Chee Fuei Pien said in a statement that they could produce 35 sets a day, adding that so far more than 110 sets of face shields had been produced to be handed over to the JKNS.

-- BERNAMA