Ministry scotches MDL privatisation rumours
Rumours that the Molecular Diagnostic Laboratory could be privatised have been shot down by the Ministry of Health.
A Ministry spokeswoman said: “The lab serves as an excellent model of how publicly owned services can reduce healthcare costs.
“The Government looks forward to the possible future expansion of MDL services to help reduce healthcare costs in other areas.”
Carika Weldon, a top biochemist and the Government’s chief scientific adviser, voiced frustration last week on Twitter over the continued rumours of privatisation of the lab.
Dr Weldon wrote: “In 2016 I founded the Bermuda Principles to serve Bermuda. Six months of 2020 I gave free service to Bermuda in four lab roles.
“I serve as science advisor for free (15 months and counting). So I do not want to own MDL.”
Dr Weldon added: “MDL is a lab for the people of Bermuda. To test, train and develop world class scientists.
“Not to rape our country’s pockets when a pandemic hits because we think we’d be a monopoly, like others have done.”
Dr Weldon was a researcher at the Oxford Genomics Centre, part of Oxford University Hospitals, before she returned to Bermuda in April and launched the MDL that same month.
Since then, the lab was used to test well over 210,000 Covid-19 test samples in its first year and has used genetic testing to check for variant strains of the virus, including the more contagious Beta and Delta variants.
More than 30 Bermudians have been trained in molecular diagnostic testing and MDL since the lab opened.
The lab was originally based in St David’s, but recently moved to a new office on Middle Road in Warwick.
