RESIDENTS OF western Jamaica, who formerly had no access to specialised medical screening for complicated illnesses, now have a brand new facility in the form of the state-of-the-art Microlabs Limited, located in Montego Bay.
The new facility offers specialise screening in diagnosis for certain types of cancer, thyroid disorders, rheumatoid arthritis and lupus, screening tests for drugs such as cocaine, ganja and heroine as well as screening test for common tropical maladies such as dengue fever and malaria.
"As a matter of fact, we are the only laboratory in Jamaica that do test for malaria using a World Health Organisation approved kit," said Trevor Campbell, the Managing Director of the multi-million dollar facility. The evolution of what has turned out to be this new sophisticated medical facility, started on January 2, 1981 when a small screening laboratory, with just two members of staff, was established at 18 Humber Avenue, also in Montego Bay. In 1982, a patient centre (a centre where blood and other samples are taken to be sent to the lab for analysis) was opened in Savanna-la-Mar and it was followed by centres in Lucea and Negril.
