‘Oku taupotu ‘i lalo ha fakamatala fakaTonga
Tonga’s Ministry of Health has opened a new laboratory which has capacity for real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) COVID-19 testing.
The lab was supported and funded by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Government of India via the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC).
“COVID-19 is not yet over and we recognize that here in Tonga so testing remains a priority for us,” explained Dr Saia Piukala, the Honourable Minister of Health in Tonga.
“During the pandemic we have strengthened our laboratory capacities to be able to test COVID-19 quickly and accurately, but also to be able to test for the many other diseases we will face in future. This support from WHO, UN and the Government of India is a welcome development in order for us to boost our testing capacity here in Tonga.”
The new laboratory was pre-built in New Zealand using sturdy shipping containers, allowing for quick set-up on arrival at the site in Tonga. Testing machines, laboratory supplies, staffing, operational support, and quality assurance programme and training were also provided by WHO with funding from the Government of India.
“The establishment of this new laboratory is a testament to shared public health agenda between the Government of Tonga and India. We are happy to see South-South cooperation in action here in Tonga towards better health and well-being. We thank the Government of India for their contributions and to the Government of Tonga for their leadership in this initiative,” said Sanaka Samarasinha, UN Resident Coordinator to Fiji, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.
The new laboratory set-up in Vaiola Hospital will focus on COVID-19 testing but the current infrastructure will also have the capacity to detect priority pathogens such as influenza and dengue.
“This new container laboratory in Vaiola Hospital will help not only in the ongoing COVID-19 response but will also be critical in the detection and surveillance of potential disease outbreaks in the future,” said Dr Yutaro Setoya, WHO Country Liaison Officer in Tonga. “We are proud to support this initiative and glad to see how the Ministry of Health is leveraging the pandemic response to strengthen their laboratory services and overall health systems.”
During the COVID-19 pandemic, laboratory capacity has been strengthened across the Pacific. All Pacific island countries and areas are currently equipped with RT-PCR testing capacity to detect COVID-19 and other infectious diseases.
FAKAMATALA FAKATONGA
Kuo fakaava ‘i Tonga ha leepi te ne lava ‘o tesi mo tala kei taimi e ola ‘o e tesi Koviti (RT-PCR)
Oku te’eki ai ke ‘osi ‘a e Koviti ka kuo lava ke tala pe ia ‘i Tonga ko ia ai ko hono tesi’ ‘a e me’a mu’omu’a taha kia kimautolu, ko e me’a ia ‘a e Minisita Mo’ui Saia Piukala.
Na’a ne pehe ko e lolotonga ‘a e Koviti ne nau fakafekefeka’i e ivi malava ‘o e ‘enau leepi ke lava ke vave hono tesi ‘o e Koviti mo tonu foki, pea ke lava ke tesi mo e ngaahi mahaki kehe foki ‘a ia te nau ala fepaki mo ia ‘i he kaha’u. Ko e poupou mei he WHO mo e UN pehe ki he pule’anga ‘Initia ‘eni pea ko e fakalakalaka mahu’inga ia kuo talitali lelei ‘e Tonga ke lava ke hiki’i hake ‘a e malava ke fai ‘a e ngaahi tesi.
Ko e leepi fo’ou ko eni ne langa ia ‘i Nu’u Sila pea toki uta koniteina ai ‘o fokotu’u ‘i Tonga ‘a ia ne vave ai hono fokotu’u he taimi pe ne tu’uta ai. Na’e toe fakaai ‘e he WHO ‘a e ngaahi misini tesi, leepi mo e ako ke fai ki he ngaahi me’a ni fakapa’anga ‘e he pule’anga ‘Initia fou he WHO.
Ko hono fokotu’u ko eni ‘o e leepi fo’ou ko ha tesitemeniti ia kuo faka’inasi’aki ‘a e fokotuutu’u ki he mo’ui ‘a e kakai ‘i he va ‘o e pule’anga Tonga mo ‘Initia. Na’a ne pehe ‘oku mau fiefia ke sio ki he ngaue fakataha ‘a e saute mo e saute ‘i Tonga ki hono teke ‘o e mo’ui leleiange’.
‘Oku mau fakamalo ki he pule’anga ‘Initia ki he’enau tokoni ki he pule’anga Tonga tautefito ki he’enau tataki ‘i he ngaue ko eni kuo kamata’, ko e lau ia ‘a Sanaka Samarasinha, ko e UN Resident Coordinator ki Fiji, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu mo Vanuatu.
Ko e leepi fo’ou ko eni ‘oku tu’u ia ‘i Vaiola pea te ne nofo taha ia ki hono tesi ‘o e Koviti 19 ka ‘e lava ke ne tala foki ha ‘asi ‘a e siemu ‘inifulūenisaa’ mo e tengi.
‘E toe lava ke ‘ilo ‘i he leepi fo’ou ni foki ha to ‘a ha tou mahaki kehe ‘i he kaha’u ko e lau ia ‘a Dr Yutaro Setoya, ko e ‘ofisa fetu’utaki ‘a e WHO Country ‘i Tonga.
‘Oku mau polepole ke poupou’i ‘a e ‘inisetivi ko eni pea mo fiefia ke sio ki he Potungaue Mo’ui ‘oku malangalanga ‘ene founga ke taliaki ‘a e panatemiki ‘aki hono fakafekefeka’i ‘enau ngaahi sevesi ki he leepi mo e sisitemi ki he mo’ui ‘i Tonga.
Lolotonga ‘a e to’umahaki faka’auha fakamamani lahi ko eni Koviti 19 kuo toe fefeka ange ‘a e ivi malava ke tokanga’i fakaleepi ‘a e mahaki ‘i he Pasifiki’. Kotoa ‘a e ngaahi fonua motu Pasifiki kuo fakanaunau kinautolu ‘aki ‘a e me’a tesi RT-PCR ke lava ke tesi ai ‘a e Koviti 19 mo e ngaahi mahaki kehe.
