Eight state-of-the-art Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) screening vehicles (mobile labs) worth Rs. 660 million donated by China entered commissioning today in 8 CKDu affected areas in Sri Lanka.

The mobile labs will be deployed in the Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Vavuniya, Trincomalee, Ampara, Kurunagala, Matale and Badulla districts.

“Sri Lankan people especially in the rural area are suffering in relation to CKD, known as the ‘silent killer’, as patients live with the disease for years before showing symptoms. Early screening and detection will spare the patients with limited healthcare access from pain,” the Chinese Embassy in Colombo said.

It said that the 8 screening vehicles is part of China-Sri Lanka joint effort to change the CKDs status quo in Sri Lanka, following the China-Sri Lanka Friendship and National Nephrology Hospital in Polonnaruwa for treatment, and the Joint Research & Demonstration Center for Water Technology in Kandy to find the cause.

Personnel training and equipment examining have been an important part of the donation, before the 8 mobile labs enter commissioning, the embassy further said.

Each CKD screening vehicle is fully equipped with professional devices including refrigerators, Biochemistry Analyzer, Electrolyte Analyzer, Microscope, Hematology Analyzer, Urine Analyzer, Water Purification System, Ultrasound Diagnostic Scanning System and Centrifuge etc.