From left: SLS Interim Director, Clinical Chemist Dr. Chérina Fleming; SLS employee at the main lab; Secretary of the Cabinet of the Minister of VSA, Chantale Groeneveldt and Prime Minister and Acting Minister of VSA, Leona Romeo-Marlin.
Prime Minister and Acting Minister of VSA, Leona Romeo-Marlin, Supervisor of SLS Environmental Lab, Raymond Peterson and SLS Environmental Lab Staff.
PHILIPSBURG–Acting Minister of Public Health, Social Development and Labour Affairs VSA, Leona Romeo-Marlin made an orientation visit to the St. Maarten Laboratory Services (SLS) main branch in Cay Hill and its Environmental Lab in Simpson Bay on Monday, August 19.
While at the SLS main branch, Romeo-Marlin was given an introductory presentation by SLS’ management team led by Interim Director, Clinical Chemist Dr. Chérina Fleming.
Established since 2005, SLS has been providing a number of key laboratory services in St. Maarten. The most visible service to the community is its phlebotomy centres. Phlebotomy is the practice of drawing blood from a blood vessel. SLS has five phlebotomy centres in the country with the Cay Hill location being the main location. All samples collected at the remote phlebotomy centres are transported within a defined time and under appropriate conditions to the laboratory (main location). In total, there are 16 certified phlebotomists with vast experience employed at SLS. A few of these phlebotomists are also qualified to draw blood from babies and children.
Some of the other services the SLS provides include clinical chemistry and haematology, microbiology and parasitology, pathology and cytology, DNA/paternity testing, non-invasive prenatal testing and environmental and water testing.
Romeo-Marlin also visited the Environmental Lab located in Simpson Bay that is specifically geared towards carrying out tests on drinking water that is produced at local reverse osmosis water plants. In addition, tests are also carried out on the drinking water distributed by utility company GEBE, imported drinking water, cubed ice and effluent waters.
SLS Labs operate under the standards established in the Kingdom of the Netherlands and as such provide many of their services to Caribbean Netherlands islands and Dutch Caribbean countries where possible.
Source: The Daily Herald https://www.thedailyherald.sx/islands/90208-romeo-marlin-visits-local-labs
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