UAE: Pakistan expands list of Covid PCR testing centres for travellers

Dubai - All passengers will have to carry negative Covid-19 PCR tests from these labs only, starting May 29.

Pakistani missions in the UAE have expanded the list of authorised healthcare operators and laboratories to conduct Covid-19 PCR tests for passengers travelling to Pakistan.

All Pakistani nationals and foreign citizens travelling to the South Asian country will have to take Covid-19 PCR tests from these 70 healthcare centres only across the UAE. Around 50 centres were listed in a press release issued on Friday.

All passengers will have to carry negative Covid-19 PCR tests from these labs only, starting May 29.

The decision to list laboratories comes after some passengers from the Arabian Gulf countries tested Covid-19 positive upon arrival at Peshawar airport earlier in May.

In addition, airlines have also been asked to ensure that all passengers flying into Pakistan carry negative Covid-19 tests from authorised healthcare centres only.

This decision has been taken to contain the Covid-19 pandemic as well as stop new variants spreading in the country.

Pakistan reduced the number of foreign flights by 80 per cent in May, but later increased them to 50 per cent. The UAE has also put a ban on passengers coming from Pakistan as well India, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka to contain the spread of new variants of Covid-19.

Of the 70 authorised healthcare centres, 13 are located in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain; 12 in Dubai; 10 each in Sharjah and Ras Al Khaimah; 11 in Fujairah; eight in Ajman; and six in Umm Al Quwain.

In addition to previously announced centres, Pakistani missions have added SEHA Screen Centres across the UAE; Dubai Health Authority (DHA) Screen Centres; and all hospitals, laboratories, and screening centres operated by the UAE federal government in all the emirates.

List of laboratories for PCR tests:

Abu Dhabi & Al Ain

> SEHA Screening Centres

> All hospital/labs/screening centres operated by the federal government

> VPS Health Group (Burjeel, Medeor, Life Line Hospital) across the UAE

> NMC Hospital

> Accuracy Laboratory, Hamdan Street

> Dar-ul-Mosa Laboratory, Hamdan Street

> PhD Laboratory, Electra Street

> Al Khaleej Diagnostic Medical Center

> Gulf Radiology and Laboratories

> Life Diagnostic

> Al Borg Medical Laboratories

> National Reference Laboratory, Mussafah

Dubai

> SEHA Screening Centres

> Dubai Health Authority Screening Centres

> All hospital/labs/screening centres operated by the federal government

> NMC

> Medicare

> Aster

> Emirates Hospital

> Saudi German

> Zulekha Hospital

> Canadian Specialist Hospital

> American Hospital

Ras Al Khaimah

> SEHA Screening Centres

> All hospital/labs/screening centres operated by the federal government

> NMC

> Saqr Hospital

> NMC Royal Medical Center

> RAK Hospital

> Al Jazirah Health Center

> RAK Health Center

> Al Manee’ei Health Center

Sharjah

> SEHA Screening Centres

> All hospital/labs/screening centres operated by the federal government

> NMC

> Thumbay Labs

> Aster

> Medcare

> Emirates Hospital