This archive report was first published on 16 July 2020.
Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe has launched a probe into the COVID-19 testing services provided by Pathologists Lancet Kenya, following reports of conflicting results.
On July 16, 2020, 17 teaching staff of St Andrew's School Turi were tested for COVID-19 at Lancet laboratories and declared positive for the virus. However, after their samples were taken to the Kenya Medical Research Institute (Kemri), they were told they were COVID-free.
Speaking in Nakuru, CS Kagwe urged Kenyans to avoid visiting laboratories that produce unclear results, stating that the Ministry would take measures against such facilities.
"It is true that there is one lab, specifically Lancet that carried out these tests that eventually turned from positive to negative. It is also the same lab that had also tested a group of people in Nairobi that also had the same circumstance," said the Health CS.
CS Kagwe warned that laboratories found not to have violated any set regulations but still producing unclear results risked closure.
"The worst thing that we can do is have a situation where people question the results that we give. We have asked the medical board to relook at some of these labs and where we believe a laboratory is not adhering to the standards then definitely we will close them down," he said.
