The Ministry of Health has advised that the three public health laboratories will be temporarily closed from tomorrow, Friday, November 24, to facilitate their relocation to the newly-built laboratory facility at Enmore, Collymore Rock, St Michael.
The Public Health, Leptospira and Ladymeade Reference Unit Laboratories, formerly in three separate facilities, are being amalgamated into the new Barbados Public Health Reference Laboratory.
According to a statement from the Ministry, patients attending polyclinics may experience temporary disruption of some laboratory tests during the closure. It, however, gave the assurance that patients “will be appropriately managed by their healthcare providers”.
It further noted: “Members of the public are advised that the necessary arrangements have been put in place to handle all possible emergencies during this transition period.”
The Ministry apologised for any inconvenience caused by the closure, as it seeks to improve the overall delivery of public health laboratory services in Barbados. (BGIS)
