Citizens unhappy with the work of private labs about tests for COVID-19

In this neighborhood is the only private lab in the capital where virological tests are conducted with the PCR method. Another one's in Lipjan.

However, citizens who have been waiting for hours initially to take the test, and then a few days for the results, complain of the laboratory's irresponsibilities.

I called for the day, I didn't even open it, then I came here. We're wanting to privateize that we get the results faster to protect our family, children, elders”, shows one of the citizens with whom Radio Free Europe spoke, who was waiting in line to be tested.

Similar accounts of waiting include noble journalist Drcgut. He tells Radio Free Europe that only on the fourth day after taking the test has he managed to get the result.

To see the results of the test that had resulted negative, he was forced to go to the lab, since he did not respond for several days.

I took the test, I said how much? They told me for 48 hours. All right, here's my number and email. Can you mail it to me? I waited 48 hours, I started calling on the phone, one opened the phone and said, "I'm at the center of the calls, I'm not in the lab. I called again, it was 30-40 times that I called, it's been three days, and nobody answered”, says Dorg.

To do this test, he has paid 65 euros.

Such an experience, with no response to phone calls for two days in a row, has been shared by the Radio Free Europe team. One of the lab lab lab lab labs told Free Europe Radio during a visit to the laboratory, that there is no free term for testing until August 25th.

That, according to him, is also why they do not respond to calls from citizens. He hasn't shown how many tests they're running overnight.

Test material for PCR tests

In addition to the medical laboratory of clinical microbiology “Medical & Laboratory Services” in Pristina, licensed to conduct tests by method PCR, is also clinical laboratory “U n BT” in Lipjan.

The owner of this laboratory, Edmond Hajrizi, says briefly to Radio Free Europe that they are not yet conducting tests with the PCR method.

We have received supply materials. First you get your license then you're right to supply. We think from Monday, from next week we'll start anyway. From tomorrow we may be ready for the serological tests to begin, but from next week from Monday, we will be willing to wait for patients”, Hajriz says.

In Kosovo 87 private labs were licensed for serial and virological tests for coronarys. The Virological Test With the Method PCR shows if the virus is active, analyzing the strands from the nose and throat.

However, by means of serological tests, citizens can learn if they have exceeded the coronary and if they have created antibody antibodies COVID-19, the disease caused by this virus.

The chairman of the Kosovo Competition Authority, Valon Prestreshi, has spoken about citizens' complaints Friday. He has invited all citizens and the media to report any irregularities that may occur in these price labs and service delivery. As far as prices are concerned about conducting tests, he says they are at the level of competitiveness.

“After up-to-date analysis, the prices of molecular and serological services are at the level of competitiveness, different in municipalities and the region, prices are transparent, there are price changes in various labs, and citizens are able to make solutions according to preferences or budget”, says Prestreshi.

Meanwhile, Minister of Health in Kosovo Armend Zemaj said Thursday that the process of testing would be decentralised so as to test as many citizens as possible.

From the information and official reports I've received, so far there's no scientific observation and the quality of those labs that provide these services. While the need for testing is under way and we are at the conclusion of the testing expansion procedures at six regional public health centres, even with molecular and serial labs”, Zemaj said.

The Ministry of Health has said that by the end of this year it is supposed to have 100 thousand tests. Virological and double serial tests, with which the population will be tested in order to diagnose COVID-19.

However, even after the licensing of private labs, in the daily announcements of the Kosovo Public Health Institute, there has been no increase in the number of tests conducted within 24 hours between 500 a day.

Since the beginning of the pandemic in March, the total number of positive cases is 12,168, out of 46,452 cases of SARS-CoV-2 virus suspects, while 448 people have died.