Western Cape provincial laboratory undergoes R23 million renovation

“Once the renovations are completed, the Western Cape Provincial Veterinary Laboratory will provide an enhanced service to our clients,” said Western Cape Minister of Agriculture Ivan Meyer during the recent handover of the building site to the contractor.

Meyer said: “The Western Cape Provincial Veterinary Laboratory provides a veterinary diagnostic and veterinary public health testing service.  Our clients are located in all provinces. Nearly 60% of the samples received for testing originate from outside the Western Cape Province.  Testing activities focus on disease diagnosis, surveillance and monitoring.”

Meyer continues: “Our main scope is testing for controlled and notifiable animal diseases as listed in the Animal Diseases Act.  The national requirement for all laboratories testing for controlled and notifiable animal diseases is that the laboratory is ISO 17025 accredited.”

According to Francois Dreyer, Technical Manager for Veterinary Diagnostic Services, Bovine brucellosis testing makes up 85% of the testing performed by the Laboratory.

Dreyer said: “During the renovation period, an accredited veterinary laboratory will perform free testing of samples for clients within the Western Cape.   The Western Cape  Provincial Veterinary Laboratory will cover the costs. The value of the testing performed during the renovation is estimated at R2.2 million.

Renovations are costed at R23 million, with completion due by November 2023.

The project will be done in three phases:

• Phase 1 focuses primarily on the on-site establishment and many outer buildings.
• Phase 2 will focus mainly on the laboratory areas, and
• Phase 3 will include the administrative- and other office areas.

“It is envisioned that the PVL will be fully functional again as an ISO 17025 accredited laboratory by the end of November 2023”, concluded Meyer.

Source: Government of South Africa