Chinese company delivers container lab to help Laos' COVID-19 testing

Champa LSEA laboratory arrives at Champassak Provincial Hospital. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Biotech company MGI Tech delivered a container laboratory to Laos on Thursday, so as to help the country boost its mass COVID-19 testing capacity and prepare for the gradual re-opening of its borders in 2022.

According to the company, the Champa LSEA Lab is equipped with MGI's automation systems that enable laboratory technicians to process up to 3,000 samples per day, and up to 30,000 samples per day if 10 samples are mixed in one tube for batch testing.

The lab also allows simplification of the labor-intensive and time-consuming procedures typically associated with diagnostic testing, as it comes with two high-degree automation systems, namely MGISP-960 and MGISTP-7000, for sample preparation and sample transfer, respectively, reducing the need for manpower and manual work while shortening the turnaround time for test results and substantially streamlining the overall workflow, MGI said.

"The Champa LSEA Laboratory initiated by Champassak Provincial Hospital and STD (Sithandone Joint Development Co Ltd) will benefit Champassak province and surrounding areas in COVID-19 prevention and control," said Khamsing Keothongku, director of Champassak Provincial Hospital.

"The equipped advanced laboratory systems provided by MGI will also help minimize the labor required, and thus aim to improve the COVID-19 testing efficiency and capacity," Khamsing Keothongku added.