Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — Saudi Arabia's Health Minister Fahad Al-jalajel has launched a Mobile Infectious Diseases Unit (MIDU) that will contribute to monitoring and diagnosing high-risk infectious diseases.

The Public Health Authority (Weqaya) has pointed out that the unit is in the third level of biological safety, or Biosafety Level 3 (BSL-3), as it will provide a mobile laboratory system with all equipment, technologies and the necessary systems for operation.

The mobile unit meets international standards and requirements for biological security and safety, Weqaya said, stressing that all health cadres working in the unit are qualified. They have been trained in advanced international centers in the field of high containment laboratories, it added.

Weqaya stated that the unit will contribute to increasing the readiness of Saudi Arabia to monitor epidemics, in addition to enhancing health security.

This comes within Weqaya's efforts to achieve one of the strategic goals of the Health Sector Transformation Program, which is "Enhancing prevention of health risks".