Telugu Desam Party National President and former Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Thursday expressed concern over the pending status of over 16,000 confirmation test results at a time when identifying every infected case was crucial to preventing spread of COVID-19 epidemic.
Mr. Naidu shot off a letter to AP Chief Secretary Nilam Sawhney, seeking steps to partner with private labs in order to increase testing facilities to strengthen the fight against the killer virus. “The spread of COVID-19 appears to be continuing unhindered in Andhra Pradesh. It is germane to identify number of COVID positive cases by increasing number of tests. Simultaneously, it should be ensured that confirmation test results are out at the earliest to determine COVID spread.”
Mr. Naidu said that currently, while the Government of Andhra Pradesh is conducting COVID screening tests, it seems that around 16,000 confirmation test results are awaited. One of the major reasons for less number of confirmation tests and delayed test results is lack of COVID confirmation testing laboratories in the State. Currently, there are only 8 confirmation testing laboratories in the State, causing inadvertent delay in espousing confirmed test results.
Mr. Naidu asserted that it is pertinent for the Government of Andhra Pradesh, like in other States, to partner with private testing laboratories to determine COVID’s presence. This move would not only help in fighting the COVID in a better way, but would also help in building better health infrastructure in the long run. Pending of around 16,000 confirmation test results may result in further spread of COVID, hence it is vital to ensure that the confirmation test results are obtained in real time.
Stating that the previous Government procured 250 TrueNAT test kits for effective control of Tuberculosis (TB) in the state, Mr. Naidu said that TrueNAT tests help in detecting 100% COVID negative and, in case of COVID positive results, they may be sent for RT PCR confirmatory tests. Accordingly, the Government should use TrueNAT kits in larger numbers. TrueNAT tests would help in eliminating negative cases early. The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has also approved TrueNAT for screening stage.
Mr. Naidu said that ICMR has categorically referred to RT PCR test as the only confirmation test. The previous Government has linked the TrueNAT test results of Tuberculosis with the real time governance (RTG), thereby giving the leverage to Government to initiate real time action. Hence, the Government has to increase the number of TrueNAT screening centres and link the same with real time governance (RTG) to act in real time. All lab tested results, including RT PCR test results, may be uploaded online at lab level itself in real time. This would allow the administration at district and State levels to initiate action in real time. Based on the above focal points, the Government needs to put in place a new process, procedure and protocol for fighting COVID. This new set of protocol would help in effective control of COVID ensuring safety and protection of people.
Mr. Naidu expressed concern over non-supply of quality and standardised Personal Protection Equipments (PPEs) and sanitisers to COVID frontline warriors like doctors, nurses, medical and para-medical staff, police, sanitary workers, revenue officials and others. Poor quality PPEs and sanitisers will put the lives of frontline warriors at risk, wherein the protector of a COVID patient would become the victim of COVID. It is high time, that the Government finalise norms for standardisation of PPEs and sanitisers and immediately provide the same to frontline warriors.
