ONGOLE: The Prakasam district administration has decided to allow only the Medical and Health Department and other government agencies to conduct Covid-19 tests to get accurate figures of new infections. It has issued an order barring all private diagnostic centres and labs from conducting Covid-19 tests with immediate effect. Orders have also been issued making it mandatory for those who want to undergo Covid test to register their name and other details with the Medical and Health Department. Otherwise, their test result will not be declared.
It was observed that some people with symptoms of Covid were approaching private labs for a test and were not in self-isolation after testing positive for coronavirus. As a result, they were knowingly or unknowingly causing the spread of Covid in the district. Hence, the district administration has banned the private labs from conducting Covid tests, a senior official said.
On an average, 4,500 to 5,000 Covid tests are conducted per day in Prakasam. At present, Covid tests are being conducted at 90 Primary Health Centres and 10 Urban Health Centres, besides the District Mother and Child Hospital (MCH) and the Government General Hospital (GGH-RIMS). Covid tests at PHCs and Urban Health Centres are being conducted on alternate days. The GGH-RIMS and MCH are conducting the tests everyday.
“We have banned the private diagnostic centres and labs from conducting tests to curb the spread of Covid in Prakasam by ensuring that all those who tested positive undergo self-isolation,” the official added.“The conduct of Covid tests only by the Medical and Health Department and other government agencies help to get accurate number of new infections, besides helping us curb the spread of coronavirus effectively. We have laid emphasis on conduct of Covid tests on students of government schools and other educational institutions to ensure the safety of children,” Dr Tirumala Rao, Coordinator, District Covid Control Cell, told TNIE.