The work techniques and equipment used now in labs do not primarily meet the modern standards in performing examinations and in determining the causes of new infections, it is said in the program for developing the network of labs of the State Public Health Supervision Service of Moldova, which was presented by the Health Ministry, IPN reports.

According to the program, the equipment used by the labs now (thermostats, autoclaves, ELIZA apparatus, laboratory scales, chromatographers, atomic absorption spectrophotometers) is 65-70% worn-out and thus needs to be frequently repaired.

The repair works are usually costly and inaccessible owing to the exaggerated prices of services and the absence of qualified personnel as well as due to the poorly developed spare parts acquisition market. The used methods do not ensure the authenticity and high quality of the examinations, say specialists of the Health Ministry.

The local microbiological labs have only 84.4% of the necessary staff. On average per country, a specialist performs daily about 56 microbiological examinations, at a time when the norm is 30-37 tests. Such a state of affairs can be improved by replacing the traditional classical examination methods with such modern technology as rapid diagnostic test-systems, optimizing testing planning, automating and standardizing the work processes, says the program.

It also says that though a large part of the lab examinations within the State Public Health Supervision Service are provided for money, the earned money does not enable to renovate the laboratory equipment of the 37 local health centers.