Plea to allow pvt labs to conduct Covid test

There is a fear that data on rising cases will be leaked out

There is a gap of 20 to 24 hours between the time a person is tested for the novel coronavirus disease

Covid-19 and obtaining the result at state-run facilities. Private hospitals which have got permission from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) but not from state government are appealing that they must be allowed to test to reduce the waiting time.

Vijaya Diagnostics and a private laboratory have been granted permission by ICMR and the state government to conduct the

Covid-19 test.

Due to the high load of patients, the testing is taking time. A molecular laboratory is required to test the samples.

Two private hospitals in the state which have the facilities have been demanding permission to test but are not being allowed as there is a fear that data on the rising number of cases will be leaked out.

Despite assurances that data will not be leaked, and there will be strict compliance, the state government is not willing to give permission.

A senior doctor said, “We have to make patients wait and they do not know why. The results take at least 24 hours and that leads to a delay in treatment. If we test in private hospitals, the time period will range from 3 to 6 hours. This will help in early intervention in cases with co-morbid conditions of diabetes, cancer and auto-immune disorders.”

There is another worry on the part of state government that there will be unwanted testing carried out if private hospitals are given approval.

A government health official said that the tests will be carried out in private hospitals on those who have no symptoms but want to check that they do not have the coronavirus.

“Testing asymptomatic cases is not required. We need to test only those who have symptoms. Presently, all health officials are busy with Covid19 contacts, quarantine and suspected cases. Who will monitor what the private hospitals are doing? Till the government hospitals can manage the numbers it is important for them to handle tests,” the government official further said.

Tests at Gandhi Hospital, Fever Hospital, Nizam Institute of Medical Sciences and two private laboratories are carried out. They undergo the mandatory dual testing before confirming the case.

These precautions are being taken to ensure that there is no margin of error.

With the cases increasing now there is a demand to allow those hospitals who have the infrastructure to test their patients.