The new PCR laboratory in Braslav will become an interregional diagnostic center
Currently, there are nine active PCR laboratories in the Vitebsk region. Daily, they conduct an average of about 3,000 tests for coronavirus infection. However, this does not mean that there are so many people with suspected COVID-19 in the region. The majority of tests are carried out for those traveling abroad and patients undergoing planned hospitalization in inpatient facilities. Vladimir Sinkevich, Chief Physician of the Vitebsk Regional Center for Hygiene, Epidemiology and Public Health, notes that if necessary, the laboratories' capacities can be increased many times over. Fortunately, there is no such need yet: the incidence is decreasing, and hospitals are returning to their usual work schedules. And if the population continues to get vaccinated actively, the situation as a whole will be stabilized.
The first PCR department of the clinical diagnostic laboratory in the district has opened at the Braslav Central Regional Hospital.
A PCR test can detect all viral diseases known to modern medicine, infectious disease specialists explain. Including those that have not manifested in the human body for years, waiting for the most comfortable conditions for their "work." Diagnostics of pathogens that have been "growing" for a long time is particularly relevant in gynecology and urology. It is indispensable in detecting hepatitis B and C, herpes, and in other cases. Thanks to PCR methods, infections are detected at the initial stage of their development, which contributes to faster recovery and prevention of serious complications.
So, the new laboratories will definitely find their purpose after the pandemic. And thanks to the fact that the Vitebsk region is already geographically divided into service zones, the turnaround time for research will significantly decrease. And those districts that previously had to deliver analyses to the regional center for 100-200 kilometers or more will now significantly simplify their logistics.
— The creation of the PCR department was another step in the implementation of the state program for the development of regions, — emphasizes **Alexander Makarevich, Chief Physician of the Braslav Central District Hospital**, giving a tour of the autonomous, impeccably renovated and equipped department.
It is worth noting that everything is thought out to the smallest detail. Adjacent to the laboratory are examination rooms for patients with signs of ARVI. COVID-19 tests are taken nearby and passed through a window for examination.
— Patient flows are separated, contacts are minimized, and laboratory technicians work completely autonomously, — Alexander Vladimirovich explains the procedure for collecting and processing samples. — We have excellent specialists. They have undergone training in PCR diagnostics in regional laboratories and are interchangeable.
Well-equipped offices, strict sanitary and epidemiological regime, clarity in staff actions, and the principle of prompt analysis are immediately noticeable.
**Nadezhda Glinskaya, Head of the Clinical Diagnostic Laboratory**, says:
— In the first month and a half of operation, we conducted about 5,000 tests. We perform two runs per day, each with 96 samples.ob. The result is obtained in 5-6 hours. If necessary, the volumes can be increased. Some analyses are brought from the Miory district. In the near future, we will take over the Sharkovshchyna and Postavy zones.
What has the virus taught us?
In "pre-coronavirus" times, there were half as many PCR laboratories in the Vitebsk region. Polotsk, Orsha, and now Braslav – the new units have come in handy. Amateurs think: COVID-19 will disappear – what will the super-equipped laboratories do? Specialists, however, emphasize with satisfaction: it's great that modern technologies have reached the hinterland. After all, polymerase chain reaction-based diagnostics is the most accurate method for detecting numerous infections. By examining a person's genetic material (DNA and RNA), a diagnosis is quickly and accurately determined. It is no secret that viruses of different natures can cause identical disease symptoms. Identifying the "enemy," knowing the nature of its appearance, strength of impact, and the total number of microbes in the body helps the doctor choose the optimal medications and treatment methods.A PCR test can detect all viral diseases known to modern medicine, infectious disease specialists explain. Including those that have not manifested in the human body for years, waiting for the most comfortable conditions for their "work." Diagnostics of pathogens that have been "growing" for a long time is particularly relevant in gynecology and urology. It is indispensable in detecting hepatitis B and C, herpes, and in other cases. Thanks to PCR methods, infections are detected at the initial stage of their development, which contributes to faster recovery and prevention of serious complications.
So, the new laboratories will definitely find their purpose after the pandemic. And thanks to the fact that the Vitebsk region is already geographically divided into service zones, the turnaround time for research will significantly decrease. And those districts that previously had to deliver analyses to the regional center for 100-200 kilometers or more will now significantly simplify their logistics.
For the benefit of the patient
...Almost 230 kilometers from Vitebsk, 250 from Minsk. The northern part of the Braslav district borders Latvia, the western part borders Lithuania. It turns out that from three sides – it's abroad. Practically a dead-end region. But in the postIn recent years, it has become increasingly known as an inter-district medical center. The local Central District Hospital, which is preparing to celebrate its 115th anniversary these days, has many patients from Miory, Sharkovshchyna, Verkhnedvinsk, Glubokoye, and Postavy districts. The hospital has the status of an inter-district surgical center and an inter-district thrombolytic therapy center – patients with suspected ischemic stroke are received and treated here. The Central District Hospital has its own computed tomography scanner. During the pandemic, it became an indispensable tool for timely diagnosis – patients with suspected viral pneumonia are now brought from all over the area. The operating and intensive care units are equipped with the latest technology. Excellent conditions for patients are provided in the dental department and dental laboratory, which also serve residents of neighboring districts.— The creation of the PCR department was another step in the implementation of the state program for the development of regions, — emphasizes **Alexander Makarevich, Chief Physician of the Braslav Central District Hospital**, giving a tour of the autonomous, impeccably renovated and equipped department.
It is worth noting that everything is thought out to the smallest detail. Adjacent to the laboratory are examination rooms for patients with signs of ARVI. COVID-19 tests are taken nearby and passed through a window for examination.
— Patient flows are separated, contacts are minimized, and laboratory technicians work completely autonomously, — Alexander Vladimirovich explains the procedure for collecting and processing samples. — We have excellent specialists. They have undergone training in PCR diagnostics in regional laboratories and are interchangeable.
Well-equipped offices, strict sanitary and epidemiological regime, clarity in staff actions, and the principle of prompt analysis are immediately noticeable.
**Nadezhda Glinskaya, Head of the Clinical Diagnostic Laboratory**, says:
— In the first month and a half of operation, we conducted about 5,000 tests. We perform two runs per day, each with 96 samples.ob. The result is obtained in 5-6 hours. If necessary, the volumes can be increased. Some analyses are brought from the Miory district. In the near future, we will take over the Sharkovshchyna and Postavy zones.
Laboratory diagnostics physician Nadezhda Glinskaya and laboratory assistant Valentina Sobol.
The chief physician specifies:
— Logistics with neighboring regions have already been established and worked out, and the turnaround time for various studies will be reduced significantly. In total, we will be able to serve approximately 115,000 people. Currently, fortunately, the situation with coronavirus is stable, and the incidence is decreasing. We have everything necessary: in the summer, during the lull, we modernized the oxygen system. There are about 30 oxygen points in operation, and five ventilators are available – the capacities are not loaded. The same applies to the reserves of beds deployed for the treatment of COVID-19. The oxygen supply is sufficient.
By the way, laboratory staff are on duty around the clock. In addition to PCR tests, they also perform antigen tests – for planned and urgent hospitalizations. The hospital operates in the normal mode and provides all types of care, including to patients with surgical and other pathologies.
The chief physician specifies:
— Logistics with neighboring regions have already been established and worked out, and the turnaround time for various studies will be reduced significantly. In total, we will be able to serve approximately 115,000 people. Currently, fortunately, the situation with coronavirus is stable, and the incidence is decreasing. We have everything necessary: in the summer, during the lull, we modernized the oxygen system. There are about 30 oxygen points in operation, and five ventilators are available – the capacities are not loaded. The same applies to the reserves of beds deployed for the treatment of COVID-19. The oxygen supply is sufficient.
By the way, laboratory staff are on duty around the clock. In addition to PCR tests, they also perform antigen tests – for planned and urgent hospitalizations. The hospital operates in the normal mode and provides all types of care, including to patients with surgical and other pathologies.
Paramedic-laboratory assistant Tatyana Lukyanets.
— Such a unit is a serious leap in development, — shares his opinion the chief physician of the district. — For example, samples for diagnosing sexually transmitted infections, as well as mandatory preventive examinations for HIV and hepatitis, had to be sent to Vitebsk. Soon, we will be able to issue COVID-19 certificates for travel abroad on-site. The healthcare sector is rapidly developing, and we are becoming a multidisciplinary inter-district medical center. About 70 doctors and 300 nurses and paramedics work here, and we hire young specialists annually. In the near future, we plan to actively develop neurological rehabilitation — with a water and mud therapy facility. We will focus on the recovery of patients who have had strokes. We are expecting the delivery of a high-tech laparoscopic system — we will perform surgeries for residents of neighboring districts as well. So, the new laboratory is already a pressing need. The destructive power of coronavirus will soon subside, and we must think about how to protect and preserve people's health in the future.
With a focus on the future
Currently, the new laboratory is concentrating its efforts on detecting coronavirus. But Alexander Makarevich is confident that its capabilities will be in high demand in the future as well.— Such a unit is a serious leap in development, — shares his opinion the chief physician of the district. — For example, samples for diagnosing sexually transmitted infections, as well as mandatory preventive examinations for HIV and hepatitis, had to be sent to Vitebsk. Soon, we will be able to issue COVID-19 certificates for travel abroad on-site. The healthcare sector is rapidly developing, and we are becoming a multidisciplinary inter-district medical center. About 70 doctors and 300 nurses and paramedics work here, and we hire young specialists annually. In the near future, we plan to actively develop neurological rehabilitation — with a water and mud therapy facility. We will focus on the recovery of patients who have had strokes. We are expecting the delivery of a high-tech laparoscopic system — we will perform surgeries for residents of neighboring districts as well. So, the new laboratory is already a pressing need. The destructive power of coronavirus will soon subside, and we must think about how to protect and preserve people's health in the future.