NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court has directed the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) to highlight, on its website, how much blood sample is permitted to be collected for conducting Covid-19 tests.
A bench of Justice Najmi Waziri was hearing a petition filed by Dr. Rohit Jain through his counsel Advocate Shashank Deo Sudhi seeking directions for the government and ICMR to publish the requisite standards for blood sample collection within one week.
“The learned counsel for the petitioner submits that there is no clarification apropos any standards as to the collection of such sample and requisite quantum of blood that should be drawn for the tests to be conducted. Let the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (GNCTD) in consultation with the ICMR publish the requisite standards within one week,” said the order.
According to the petitioners, there is no mechanism of oversight by the state government, in regard to the collection of blood samples. “It would be in the fitness of things that a re-assurance to the residents of Delhi if the GNCTD were to formulate a regime for surprise checks, inspections and audits as may be appropriate.
This should be done to ensure that: i) the services are being rendered by persons qualified to collect the samples; ii) the samples so collected are properly stored; iii) that the samples reach the laboratories within the stipulated time; (iv) the tests are then conducted within the stipulated time and; v) the test report is then promptly disseminated to the parties concerned,” the petitioners submitted.
Dr. Rohit Jain submitted that there is no monitoring of Covid-19 related tests by the government. Service providers located outside the city are operating without any supervision by any authority statutory agency or government and such unbridled commercial activity can have unfortunate consequences.
