Stolen laptop disrupts TB, HIV, and COVID-19 testing at Alotau Hospital

The theft of a laptop at the Alotau Provincial Hospital has put a halt to important test sample work for tuberculosis, HIV, HIV early infant diagnosis, and COVID-19.

It’s been two weeks since the incident as staff are now contemplating fundraisers to replace it.

This was on a Saturday night with a lone officer manning the Pathology Department.

It's not just any laptop; it’s the link for the four GeneXpert machines at Alotau Provincial Hospital that perform accurate automated cartridge-based PCRs or polymerase chain reaction tests, says Sandra Ilaisa, the acting laboratory manager.

While they’ve resorted to manual testing for now, it’s not as accurate and could see loopholes in treatment or other.

They’ve put out an appeal to residents in and around Alotau to keep a lookout for persons attempting to sell the laptop to alert Police immediately.

 While at appealing, they are now also looking to fundraise to get a new one.