As the Minister asserted, the PCR laboratory at the airport has been established in order to conduct PCR tests on Sri Lankans living abroad who were returning back to the motherland and the Ministry of Health, the Medical Research Institute, the Airport and Aviation Services, the Health System Improvement Program, the Medical Supplies Division, IOM and MAS Holdings were involved in establishing the said laboratory.

Necessary health equipment was mainly provided by the Ministry of Health and various institutions have made donations.

Since the establishment, PCR tests have been carried out on Sri Lankans returning from abroad and providing PCR test results of random PCR tests conducted in various parts of the country.

As the Covid-19 health guidelines will be relaxed to a certain extent with the inoculation process, it is decided that a PCR laboratory in the airport for the convenience of tourists is crucial at this time and its proposed construction work is not funded by the Government but by a private company considering the financial status of the country due to the Covid-19 situation.

However, the said private company has to pay rent for the airport for a period of two years. It has also been suggested that a percentage of the amount charged for each PCR test should be paid to the airport.

Moreover, a condition has been brought forth stating that, if a private company is allowed to build this PCR laboratory, that with its relevant facilities should be returned to the airport within two years free of charge.

Minister Ranatunga affirmed that this is still a suggestion and that the airport as well as other Government institutions frequently receive such invitations. Therefore, the Minister said that it is not wrong to consider such a resolution if it is in the interest of the country and the citizens and does not violate any government policies.