Rantau, S Kalimantan (ANTARA) - The Tapin district government planned to buy a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) equipment to accelerate the process of detecting coronavirus disease 2019 or COVID-19.
Tapin Regent HM Arifin Arpan said that at present the plan to buy the PCR equipment is being discussed.
"Yes, we have discussed with the speaker of local legislative council (DPRD) and director of the District Hospital (RSUD) of Datu Sanggul about the plan for PCR procurement," he said.
He acknowledged that the purchasing of the equipment, which is estimated of about IDR1.5 billion is not an easy thing. Not only about the device, but the district should also prepare human resources to operate it.
"In addition to human resources, we should have a special building too," said the regent.
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Since the equipment would be used for commercial of the Datu Sanggul Hospital in the future, then the local government would not need CSR from companies. "In the future it will be used for business, so we do not propose any CRS fund to the companies," said Arifin Arpan.
The Tapin DPRD speaker H Yamani HB acknowledged that the purchasing of PCR is indeed necessary for a quick result of COVID-19 test.
"Today we need about 14 days to get the results of COVID-19 test, but if we have a PCR later of course it will be quick, may be in two days we get the results," he said.
But H Yamani added that the procurement of the equipment should need a study first, including for the avalibity of human resources ad building.
Director of Datu Sanggul Hospital dr Milhan said, the plan to buy the PCR is still being discussed. "We still discuss and learn about it," he said simply.
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