Page 130 - Buku Panduan Perkhidmatan MKAKB

FOREWORD
The purpose of developing this Standard operating procedure is as a
reference for Ministry of Health Malaysia hospital laboratories. It is
timely that a standard operating procedure be made available as a
reference for transportation of any biological specimens by air or
surface. This is to ensure that the biological specimens are packaged
and handled in a suitable manner to safeguard the health, safety and
welfare of employees handling the pathological specimens and also to
ensure that the specimens are packaged in suitable receptacles and
maintained under suitable environmental conditions for transport.

Biological specimens may contain infectious materials and can be the
potential source of an outbreak. It is important that care is taken when
collecting and handling the specimens to ensure that the risk of
infection to staff is kept to an absolute minimum. The packaged
material should not have any possibility of escaping from the package
under normal conditions of transport.

The responsibility for the safe collection and packaging of biological
specimens shall not rest entirely upon the sender. It is imperative that
all areas where pathological specimens are generated be it
histopathology, chemical pathology, haematology and microbiology,
remain conversant with the current rules, regulations and up to date
safety code of practice. This includes the Biosafety act, the importation
and exportation of organism guideline, Ministry of Health Malaysia, and
the guidelines by International Air Transport Association.

I would like to thank the editorial board and the professionals from
multidisciplines in the Pathology services, Ministry of Health Malaysia
for their contributions in developing this standard operating procedure.

Dr. Shahnaz Murad

Head of Pathology Services and
Director, Institute for Medical
Research Ministry of Health
Malaysia
2012