Health Minister John Haggie is responding to concerns raised about lab services in central Newfoundland.
Opposition MHAs Pleaman Forsey and Chris Tibbs this week raised questions about a recent Request for Proposals that suggest that lab services are being transferred from the Central Regional Health Centre in Grand Falls-Windsor to Gander.
Minister Haggie says what they’re looking at is an RFP for new lab equipment across the province.
He says existing equipment is “aging out,” while a serious capacity issue remains. The minister says so many backups exist that the province only uses about 10 per cent of its lab capacity on any given day, and reagents are being thrown away because they expire before they’re used.
Haggie says blood collection will continue with an RFP out for timely transportation of blood samples to local regional centres. They’ve had some issues in the past with samples spoiling before they get to the lab.
Haggie assures there will be no changes to services offered to patients at the Central Regional Health Centre.