Investors are now permitted to open private healthcare centers for testing people for coronavirus, according to the vice president for service cluster.

Not until last week, testing for coronavirus cases and for travelers was restricted to the Public Health Laboratory (PHL) at Dr. John Garang Infectious Disease Centre and at UN centers.

The government allowed Mid-Blue clinic, a private entity, to also conduct testing, mainly for travelers.

It also permitted it to charge testing fees, a decision criticized by the public.

Following his meeting with President Salva Kiir on Tuesday, Hussein Abdelbagi, who is also the chairperson of the National Taskforce on Coronavirus, announced that private clinics have been permitted to carry out coronavirus testing.

He said this is meant to reduce congestion at the existing laboratories in Juba.

“This is because it is not the responsibility of the government to test someone who is travelling outside the country for his or her personal matters,” Abdelbagi told the media.

Anyone who has symptoms of coronavirus is advised to go to our public health laboratory. There -testing is free. But those who want to travel should go to Mid-Lab, pay money and be tested, and then travel with the result.”

Ayii added that testing for coronavirus at the private health centers will cost between $70 and $130.

The abrupt decision by the government to privatize testing resulted in dozens of people getting stranded at the PHL.