Question NW143 to the Minister of Health
29 February 2024 - NW143
Clarke, Ms M to ask the Minister of Health
(1)How has the National Health Laboratory Service expanded the toxicology capacity in the forensic chemistry laboratories in (a) Cape Town, (b) Johannesburg and (c) Pretoria; (2) (a) what progress has been made in expanding the services of the Durban Forensic Chemistry Laboratory (FCL) to include toxicology testing and (b) by what date is it envisaged that the Durban FCL will be able to start toxicology analysis?
Reply:
According to the National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS):
1. The NHLS is currently in the process of procuring additional analytical equipment and all vacant positions are being filled to ensure an effective staff complement.
a) Cape Town: the NHLS is in the process of procuring additional instruments to increase testing capacity;
b) Johannesburg: a new building has been identified that will accommodate further expansion of the Johannesburg FCL and the procurement of new analytic instruments is underway for the Johannesburg FCL; and
c) Pretoria: new positions have been created in the new Pretoria laboratory, toxicology section, and the posts are currently being filled. All new toxicology samples will be referred to the new facility while the existing one focuses only on processing backlogged toxicology samples only.
2. (a) The NHLS is still in the process of identifying a suitable facility for the Durban Forensic Chemistry Laboratory that would accommodate a new toxicology section;
(b) the Durban FCL will start with toxicology testing as soon as the laboratory has relocated to a new suitable premise.
END.