Private laboratories in Telangana would soon be allowed to conduct tests for COVID-19, provided they have approval of Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).
Senior officials from the Health department said guidelines are being framed to allow testing at private labs. The method of reporting number of samples tested, the results, criteria for the tests, and other conditions would be mentioned in the guidelines.
Though the ICMR has approved 15 private labs in the State — all in and around Hyderabad — to conduct RT-PCR tests to detect coronavirus, the State Health department did not give its nod to them.
Currently, samples collected from suspected patients are tested at nine government labs. There has been public demand to allow them to undergo tests at private facilities. Telangana Health Minister Eatala Rajender had earlier said that government facilities are equipped to test a high number of samples.
However, a few private labs in Hyderabad conducted tests. Senior officials said the samples tested were from other States.
Telangana High Court on May 20, however, stated that private laboratories and hospitals can test samples and attend patients, respectively, provided they have ICMR approval. A day later, Mr Rajender said that they will review the court order to decide further course of action.
“We are in the process of framing guidelines for tests at private labs. They will soon be allowed to conduct tests,” a senior official from the Health department said. It remains to be seen if the department fixes any ceiling on charges for the tests.
More tests soon
The nod to private labs is expected to result in a rise in number of coronavirus tests conducted in the State even as the Health department continues to face harsh criticism about low testing. Director of Public Health G. Srinivasa Rao on Saturday clarified that they are following ICMR guidelines in conducting tests.
As per details provided by the Health Minister’s office, 22,842 tests were conducted till May 14 and 30,000 till May 29 — 7,158 tests in the past 15 days.
In other words, around 477 tests were conducted per day in the past 15 days, leading to detection of a high number of positive cases. The number is likely to increase after private labs start conducting tests.
