No Covid tests held but labs sent results to phones: Probe
Officials say action will be taken over fake tests after panel submits report
HARIDWAR: Many people in Haridwar who didn’t go for Covid-19 tests got messages on their mobile phones about their test results during Mahakumbh. They have complained to the Indian Council for Medical Research, district administration and the Mela health wing about such messages from private labs, a preliminary probe by the health department revealed.
The Haridwar district administration later ordered a detained investigation into allegations that fake Covid reports were issued by private laboratories engaged by the Uttarakhand government to conduct tests during the Kumbh Mela.
An initial inquiry by the health department revealed that many people who got such messages have the same mobile number and house address, substantiating doubts about irregularities in Covid testing during Mahakumbh.
A Faridkot, a Punjab resident, had received a message about his Covid-19 test conducted in Haridwar though he hadn’t given samples. He then approached ICMR.
This led to unearthing of several such incidents -- people not tested for Covid-19 were deemed negative and positive by private labs.
Many people whose swab samples were taken complained of not getting laboratory reports even after one month.
A resident of Vivek Vihar Colony, wishing not to be named, said that on April 16 he had given his swab for rapid antigen test and RT-PCR at Rishikul Ayurvedic Medical College but he hasn’t received his report yet.
“When I enquired about the report status, no reply was given and despite repeated attempts no one from the private lab at the centre responded. A personnel of the lab even said that no test of mine was conducted, which is wrong,” said the resident.
Such cases were brought to the notice of the district magistrate after which an inquiry has been instituted.
From April 1 till April 30, the state government had made negative Covid-19 reports mandatory for people attending Mahakumbh in Haridwar. The district health administration roped in 20 private labs to scale up testing.
As Mahakumbh fair was going on, Mela health administration also took the services of 10 private labs for Covid-19 testing.
On a daily basis on an average 20,000 tests were conducted, according to official data, which was less than half of the daily 50,000 tests as directed by the Uttarakhand high court.
The testing process has come under scanner, with people saying that they are getting fake messages about test results. From suburban Jwalapur, Roorkee to bordering areas of Raiwala, Chidiyapur, Mandawar and Narsain of Haridwar district, people who didn’t go for tests have received messages about results.
With doubts raised over Covid testing during Mahakumbh, the district administration has stopped payment of around ₹3 crore to the laboratories.
A three-member panel led by chief development officer has been formed by Haridwar district magistrate. The panel will submit its report regarding irregularities in Covid testing during Mahakumbh.
“A three-member committee, led by district chief development officer Saurabh Geharwar,
WITH DOUBTS RAISED OVER COVID TESTING DURING KUMBH, PAYMENT OF AROUND ₹3 CRORE HAS BEEN STOPPED FOR PRIVATE LABS.
is probing the matter. It will give its report in two weeks’ time,” Haridwar district magistrate C Ravi Shankar said.
“After getting the probe report, action will be taken against violators. The report will also bring to light whether the irregularities were deliberate or due to human-technical error. Till the probe gets completed no payment will be made to any lab which conducted tests.”
Private labs get ₹354 for an antigen test and ₹400 for RT-PCR.
Haridwar chief medical officer Dr Shambhu Kumar Jha said the extent of discrepancies will be known after the probe report comes out.
Kumbh Mela officer Dr Arjun Singh Sengar said, “Under Kumbh Mela health wing, 10 testing laboratories were functioning.
“Discrepancies have been found like multiple reports sent to the same phone number. As soon as we get the probe report, we will take appropriate action.”
Anoop Nautiyal, founder Social Development for Communities Foundation, said, “Data inaccuracies are a matter of major concern as lakhs arrived for Ganga dip during Mahakumbh. Incorrect conclusions on the basis of false figures will weaken our fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.”
Nautiyal, who has been analysing Kumbh Covid test data, said that on April 26, the state conducted 63,120 tests, highest, and about 45,256 tests were conducted across the state on April 14 Shahi Snan.
“But if many tests were fake, then one can easily understand that actual tests conducted daily were quite less, very less than what high court had directed. HC had made it clear that at least 50,000 tests should be conducted daily in Haridwar,” he said.