Amid the measures and efforts exerted by the health sector in the state to limit the spread of the new Corona virus (Covid-19), the role of the reference laboratory for infectious diseases in Sheikh Khalifa Medical City, who assumed the first task to develop an internal test to detect the Corona virus, is highlighted. Reflects the UAE's proactive efforts, putting diagnostic examination at the top of its health priorities to ensure the provision of capabilities and capabilities to examine all possible cases of coronavirus infection, and protect the country's population from the virus.
The Acting Consultant Pathologist, Sheikh Khalifa Medical City Labs, Dr. Heba Al-Humaidan, told «Emirates Today» that “The Emirate of Abu Dhabi is represented by the Health Department in Abu Dhabi, the Abu Dhabi Health Services Company, and Sheikh Khalifa Medical City, which foresaw the future years ago and established a reference laboratory for diseases Ferryboat, and was equipped at the highest level of science, and supplied with distinctive medical competencies, which helped us at the present time to prepare well since the emergence of (Corona), and allowed us to develop preparedness plans before any cases emerge in the UAE ».
She added that «the reference laboratory is one of the front lines to confront (Corona), and its employees make great efforts, and they are partners in the first line of defense with doctors and nurses, but the last two have a clear role for society, unlike scientists, doctors and laboratory technicians who work behind the scenes, and they face Corona virus with all the strength of scientific will, sacrifice their times, rest and put them at risk », noting that the laboratory team includes a microbiologist and virus consultant, and a research scientist, along with seven specialized technicians and the supervisor of the first laboratories.
She added that «the team’s work in the laboratory is supportive of all state hospitals that need any kind of diagnostic operations for infectious diseases, as the laboratory includes doctors, technicians and scientists with great experience in this field, and the laboratory follows the global developments related to epidemic diseases, the World Health Organization, and any infectious diseases It is spreading anywhere in the world, ”he said.“ The laboratory works in an active and proactive manner so that it can provide the necessary tests in the event of any epidemic disease moving inward, not only (Corona), but all infectious diseases. ”
Al-Humaidan explained that «the team work in the laboratory began to monitor (Corona) virus from the moment of the announcement of the first cases in China, and we followed the developments of the virus, and for continuous days of work we succeeded in developing an internal test to diagnose (Covid-19), where the tests were not "Commercial has emerged as a result of the novelty of the discovery of the disease."
She pointed out that «the genetic sequence of the virus appeared on January 11 last, and from this moment the laboratory team began working and communicating with external facilities to provide the virus genomic materials needed to conduct the internal test, the test was prepared in less than a week, and we began to communicate with all the relevant authorities and inform them The readiness of the laboratory to receive samples of those suspected of being infected with the virus, and the first case of (Corona) in the country was diagnosed through an internal test carried out by laboratory scientists.
Al-Humaidan indicated that "the importance of the internal test developed by laboratory scientists is that rapid diagnosis is the first step in controlling the spread of the emerging coronavirus infection, which may be transmitted through people who have mild symptoms of the disease, and may not even know that they are infected, so we were racing against time", Noting that this test was safe and accurate, and a protocol that adheres to the steps announced by the World Health Organization.
She said: «After that, commercial tests began to appear, and the best and most accurate of these tests were used in the laboratory to accelerate the process of detecting cases of injury, as internal tests cannot perform a large number of samples per day, so we started using these tests in the tests, what As a result of the development of our absorptive capacity in the laboratory, we have been able to perform tests of about 1500 samples per day.
Al-Humaidan clarified that «the test samples that arrive at the laboratory come from more than one place and not from Sheikh Khalifa Medical City only, and there is a mechanism for receiving samples to ensure identification and tracking them at all stages, after the sample is withdrawn in hospitals or centers for the examination of (Corona) virus it is transferred To Sheikh Khalifa Medical City in the reception area, and registration of samples is made.
She added: "The laboratory examination of any sample passes through three stages: the first before the laboratory examination, the second the laboratory examination, and finally after the examination.", Explaining that the pre-examination stage is during which the patient's data is recorded within the medical system, and an identification card is issued to the patient that includes all the detailed data To him, the swab is taken from the person and the data is pasted onto the sample tube, after which the samples are collected and sent to Sheikh Khalifa Medical City.
And she continued: «The second stage begins when the samples reach the laboratory, and a scan is done via the automated system in the laboratory, then the samples are sent to the area of the molecular examination inside the laboratory, which is based on specialized technicians».
And revealed that their dependence in the laboratory on the molecular examination test because it is the most accurate, and the examination process is done in this test after preparing the sample to search for virus genes, and after that the sample is placed in a «PCR» device to determine the result if it is positive or negative, indicating that the test takes from Six to seven hours, but with the current situation and thousands of samples to be prepared and tested, it may take up to 24 hours for the result to appear.
Al-Humaidan indicated that the corona examination includes several factors, including the amount of the virus in the nose or throat during the taking of the swab, the duration of the person's infection and incubation of the virus, the number of viruses in the sample, the method of taking the swab and its validity. She added that «the samples are kept after the examination inside the refrigerators for several days to ensure that no need to re-examine any of them, and after that they are disposed of, and the disposal mechanism includes heat sterilization of the positive samples to ensure that they are free of viruses before disposal, according to the protocol on medical waste» , Confirming that all laboratory personnel adhere to the precautions and precautions and to wear personal protective equipment at all stages of the work, to ensure that no infection is transmitted during handling any sample.
Therapy with "plasma"
Acting Head of Sheikh Khalifa Medical City laboratories, Dr. Heba Al-Humaidan, stated that the laboratory is participating in the Emirati experiment for treating the "Covid-19" virus using blood plasma, by giving the plasma taken from a person who has recovered from the Corona virus to a person with the virus who has moderate symptoms to Severe, indicating that the plasma donation is made in the blood bank of Abu Dhabi using an apheresis device, whereby the phlebotomy device extracts the plasma that contains the immune bodies that help in treatment, within the international specifications, according to the guidelines of the World Blood Transfusion Organization and the organization of illiterate blood banks Cauterizing, usually plasma derived from a single donor is sufficient to treat the sick or three.
And she explained that "the patient receives intravenous plasma in a vein, and when entering the plasma that contains antibodies to the patient's body, she takes over the strengthening of immunity, and attacks the virus to reduce the disease and its complications, based on the preliminary results of medical studies."
The “reference laboratory” is equipped with the latest equipment, and includes high scientific competencies.
The "laboratory" used an internal test to detect the first infection with the virus, and it examined 1500 samples daily.
Recent tests
Acting Head of Sheikh Khalifa Medical City Laboratories, Dr. Heba Al-Humaidan, confirmed that «(Corona) is a new virus, and all international companies are currently working on developing tests that facilitate and speed up the examination process, and we in turn are following all the developments of Corona, and any recent tests will appear and be "Safe, fast and accurate will be used."
She said: «We are currently working on reaching a rapid test method for samples and at the same time enjoying accurate results, and the competent authorities provide us with all support, and any device we may need is provided in record time, and we in turn develop our capabilities daily», noting that the disclosure of The virus requires a number of steps that take hours and require highly skilled technicians.
National duty
Dr. Heba Al-Humaidan said: “We have a national duty and a social duty, and as a medical staff we swore to serve patients, and we as doctors and since thinking about entering this field we knew that we could face challenges, and in this case our national, humanitarian and professional duty is presented on any other matter My family understands the nature of my work since joining the Faculty of Medicine, as it obliged me to study for more than 15 years outside the country between study and work, in addition to postgraduate studies to gain the necessary experience ».
She added: "I have enough support at home to continue my work in combating this epidemic, and the leadership appreciated the medical staff, gave us all the support and attention we wanted, and helped us get everything we needed in the laboratory to facilitate our work."