Samtrans awarded renewed contract for Covid-19 testing
The Public Health Agency of Sweden recently concluded its tender for the national, large-scale testing of Covid-19 and it has now been confirmed that the contract has been renewed with Infosolutions in collaboration with Samtrans Omsorgsresor and Apoteket. The agreement will extend until December 2021 with an option to extend by 4x3 months.
Early last spring, a rapid adjustment took place in Nobina’s subsidiary Samtrans Omsorgsresor. As the pandemic spread, 90 Samtrans drivers received infection control training to assist the healthcare system with the transportation of Covid-19 patients. In cooperation with the Swedish Federation for Voluntary Defence Education and Training (Försvarsutbildarna), 10,000 patient transports were conducted, offering important relief to the regular ambulance service.
In a second stage, the initiative was taken to set up mobile testing stations in collaboration with Infosolutions and the regions, to quickly start large-scale testing. This grew to become an important part of society’s Covid-19 testing capacity.
Today, there are more than 240 testing stations together with mobile testing vehicles in most regions of Sweden, with a capacity exceeding 20,000 tests per day.
The tender from the Public Health Agency of Sweden includes subcontractors in collaboration with Infosolutions, where Samtrans has been responsible since the spring for buses, personnel, logistics and the distribution of test kits.
“We are proud of this new contract, to continue building on our collaboration with Infosolutions and the Public Health Agency of Sweden with a national accessibility and testing capacity. We already have more than 240 mobile testing stations across Sweden and today’s announcement will offer an enhanced ability for testing,” says Tomas Hansson, Managing Director of Samtrans Omsorgsresor.
Alex Stendahl, CEO of Infosolutions continues:
“The pandemic has required major efforts from society’s stakeholders and I am grateful that so many of us are working together during this dramatic period. Our work will now continue with testing for active infections.”
“This is the next stage of an impressive transition that took place during the spring, offering increasing support to the regions in the form of logistics and more testing. Being prepared in this way helps society cope with tough challenges,” says Magnus Rosén, President and CEO.
Samtrans Omsorgsresor AB is part of the Nobina Group, the largest public transport company in the Nordic region. Every year, Samtrans Omsorgsresor conducts approximately 1.7 million passenger journeys, predominantly contracted by municipalities and county councils. Samtrans plays a key role in society by being available for people who in various ways find it difficult to travel by regular public transport services. Since April 2020, Samtrans Omsorgsresor has together with its partners, set up and staffed approximately 240 mobile testing units for Covid-19 across Sweden.